


Noir Nights

by goodwineandcheese



Category: Monster
Genre: Action & Romance, Alternate Universe - Noir, Character Death, Common Noir Tropes, Corrupt Cops, Dad Lunge, F/M, Gentleman Lunge, Grieving Eva, Lunge's Mind Palace, Lungeva, Lungeva makes a great battle couple, Manipulative Eva, Naive Suk, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Suicidal Thoughts, Suspense, good cops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2019-04-12
Packaged: 2019-05-02 14:34:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 16
Words: 74,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14546808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodwineandcheese/pseuds/goodwineandcheese
Summary: Noiresque Lungeva-centric AU. Eva thought that she could move forward, that trying time of her life a thing of the past. However, a message from Kenzo Tenma after almost a year of silence sets her - and the few she can trust - on the path to unravel yet another mystery in a case they thought they'd all walked away from.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> AIGHTO well since it was requested and I love me some noir this is the Monster noir AU. It’ll be a multi-part piece because I just can’t imagine this being short _at all_. 
> 
> I’m semi-basing it around events that occurred in Monster, but this world doesn’t at all resemble canon. I’m just taking plot points from Monster and hacking them together in an order that suits the narrative, so if I reference Heinemann’s death for example there’s a good chance things happened differently than in Monster. The actual story itself is quite different, you just might find certain elements familiar.
> 
> I'll add tags and such as I go....since I don't know what all is gonna happen yet myself X'D
> 
> With that over with I hope you enjoy it!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A prologue leading up to the story proper.

It all started with a phone call. One damn phone call….no. It started before then. I walked a long and tired path to get here. If I retrace my footsteps, go back to what seems like ancient history _...that’s_ where it all began. Back when love was young, and I was naive. He was a doctor, as bright in the mind as he was in those kind eyes, and I...I was the director’s daughter. We had it made, our futures guaranteed. Oh, that’s what we let ourselves believe. We were both such _fools_ to think life could ever be that easy.

Three corpses. That was all it took to shatter our reality, casting our lives into a downward spiral. I lost my father, my world. He lost his home, his job, his freedom. Oh we sank to our lowest, with the world against us, and us against each other. But it ended, almost a year ago now. Wounds healed with time, we moved on. Oh, it was never _solved,_ but life isn’t about happy endings; we took what victory we could and went on with our lives. Kenzo said it best, something like “tomorrow is going to be a good day”. We let those words carry us for a year. I really thought it was all behind us, thought it was safe to bury the past. But I guess I’m still a fool, even now.

Truth be told, I never thought I’d hear Kenzo’s voice like that again. We went our separate ways; bitterness had died with time, but our lives had drifted apart, taking us down our own diverging paths. Yet here he was a year later, calling _me_ of all people, his voice still so rich with concern. It was always like that, he’s always had so much _passion_. Even now I know my heart had sighed when I heard him. But I’m older, wiser; there may be fleeting flutters from the girl that still remains a part of me, but I know that ship has sailed. We had our time, back when the world was more innocent. I’ve moved on.

But it wasn’t the sweet passion of a lover’s voice that reached me; it was something excited with tones of anxious trepidation.

_”Eva. I’ve found out...I know...I know.”_

_“Kenzo….? It’s been...what are you talking about? Start again. Slow down.”_

_“Your father’s murder. I’ve found out...Eva, I know who killed your father. Who killed all of them.”_

_“You what? Kenzo, you-”_

_“I...this shouldn't be over the phone. Sorry, Eva...can you meet me somewhere?”_

_“Tell me where.”_

_“The coffee shop a few streets down from my flat. Tomorrow. Can you…?”_

_"Why not tonight?"_

_"It's a bit late. We should meet tomorrow...early. Seven?"_

_“I think I can manage it. Where are you right now?"_

_"I'm on my way home."_

_"Kenzo, are you in some kind of trouble?”_

_“It's nothing, Eva. Really. I'll see you tomorrow.”_

I suppose the outcome was to be expected. If I were cleverer, I would’ve kept him on the phone, would’ve found out all I could. But the moment was gone before I even knew it. He _was_ in trouble, there was no mistaking that. So I’d gone to his house, found the emergency key, still hidden in the same place as it always was - under a loose stone near the walkway. Didn’t need it, though; the door was already unlocked when I tried the key and it turned with ease. That time when my heart skipped it wasn’t from any ages-old thrill resurfacing for a moment of nostalgia; it was with a panic that echoed Kenzo’s voice. 

All of those moments in the past...sequences that can't be changed or reversed...it all leads to here, to this door. I stand here, hand pressed to the dark wood, just a moment shy of stepping across that threshold. It’s daunting, but I’m no child; I’m a damn adult, and I’ll face the demons set before me. The door creaks as it opens, a foreboding sound that mirrors the atmosphere. I know what awaits me when I open that door, but shock crawls down my spine nonetheless. An eerie silence, a spotless scene, all but for the prone corpse lying on those beautiful cherry floorboards, red stains soaked into the wood and into his clothes. 

It’s not the blood I hate to look at. It’s his eyes. Open, staring, empty. It’s like looking into a void that sucks me in, deeper, deeper. He calls me forward with those eyes, and I stumble in, the floor squeaking under the unsteady movement of my feet, but I don’t hear it. This is real. I know that it’s real. I know that Kenzo is dead. But even knowing and seeing it, I don’t cry. I can’t. The void absorbs my emotions, and I feel empty hollowness as I crouch by his side. If my heart beats at all, I don’t feel it. That space is vacant for the moment.

I do him the last courtesy I can, passing a hand gently over his eyes, letting them lie closed. They were so bright and full of love, when he was alive.

It’s only when I touch him that the spell breaks, that _I_ break, and I hit the ground. Ugly tears for an ugly scene. _Call the police. Call someone. Get help._ Oh I could, I know I could. But all I do is crumble. It feels like I’m not alone here, in this house, like his spirit’s there watching me. Watching me sob like a broken woman, the way I did that one time; only back then, he’d held me in his arms. This time, there’s no one to hold me when I fall. For that moment, I destroy the silence in that house, my emotions a torrent that consumes.

“Kenzo, you damn fool….”

Hollow words for no one but myself. Oh, it’s not that I love him any more; not like that. You don’t have to lose a lover to weep with your soul. No, it’s not lost love that cuts me deeply this time. It’s the loss of _good._ Kenzo was a _good man_ , the kind that was rare in the world. He’d always believed in the good of man, but it was man that cut him down tonight. If it’s possible to kill an angel, one was lost tonight. Or perhaps he’s just become one. That’d be just like him; even in death he’ll watch over us from Heaven. 

It’s a while before I can collect my thoughts. Or it feels that way. Feels like I’ve been lying there for hours, but the darkness outside is no deeper than it was before. _Get help._ I let the passage of events play back in my mind as I sit there, fishing for my phone. Kenzo said that he’d discovered my father’s murderer. Doesn’t make it true, but that he turned up dead tells me he probably did. I dare not try to analyse the crime scene; my mind is murky, a tumultuous mess of thoughts, spinning and spinning. No sense will come to me if I focus on anything I’m seeing now. Calling the police seems like the right course to take, but I don’t. This is personal; the second I call it in they’ll internalize their investigation. I’ll be a witness, nothing more; barred from the investigation, they’ll turn me away. I _refuse_ to be kept out of the know.

My phone is stuffed back in my purse; instead I go for my keys. Oh, I can’t go to the police. But there’s someone I know will take great interest in this case. He had the hardest time moving on from the unsolved murders, never really did let go. He’s probably awake at this hour, but a phone call won’t do; he could hang up. I won’t give him the opportunity to refuse me. 

Even in the dark and the rain, I know the way too well. It’s been a while since I showed my face on his doorstep, since I spoke to anyone from that time. But he won’t turn me away, not with a case to tempt his mind. Not when it’s _this_ case. He’ll catch on the lure and I’ll have him for sure. 

When I pull up to his house, I can see the light on in his study, up on the second floor. Awake, as I thought. I wonder what old evidence he’s poring over now, futile though it is. I don’t give it much thought or mind before I punch the doorbell repeatedly with my thumb, only stopping when I see movement beyond the window, lumbering and slow, cautious. After a painful minute of silence, the door opens.

The former inspector looks like he hasn’t slept in months; but then, he never looked well rested. He’s always been that way as long as I knew him, it just seems more pronounced now as he looks me over with a quirked, questioning brow.

“Miss Heinemann.”

I won’t be turned away. I let myself in without a word from him, squeezing past him into the foyer as his eyes follow me. “It’s been a while, Lunge.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rip Kenzooooo
> 
> I decided the premise I wanted to go with for this was “the weary inspector investigates the murder of his love interest’s ex” so here we are. I could’ve used Martin but I figured with Tenma it’d have a lot more of an impact on other characters as they’re introduced to the story. 
> 
> I doubt I’ll maintain this narrative style for the rest of the story, present tense is hard for me but I f’in love writing noiresque monologues and figured it should start that way, lol. Anyway I hope it started alright!


	2. The Case

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eva and Lunge discuss the details of her harrowing night, all the while emotions - veiled thinly - are lain bare for each to read. The night is almost over, yet it seems it's only begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHEEEEEEW this one's a bit longer than the last! I split it into two perspectives; it'll switch from Lunge to Eva at the horizontal rule.
> 
> We now get to learn a bit about Lunge in this AU! You'll see what I mean now when I said I'm taking bits from Monster and hacking them in different orders, lmao.

_If this is the direction that your life is going, then we want no part in it._

How easy it was to lose what was most treasured.

_You may not believe me, but I hope you find happiness one day. I hope whatever madness has you lets you go. I can’t bear a life like this, waiting for you to look at me, watching you waste your life over your work. Get help. I can’t be the one, you’ve made that clear enough. Goodbye, Inspector._

How swiftly he found himself alone...or perhaps it wasn’t swift. Perhaps it had been a slow build, unseen by eyes blinded in the face of the one case he never solved. The murders of doctors Heinemann, Oppenheim and Boyer - it had almost been a year now, since the prime suspect was proven innocent, and ten more since the murders were first made jurisdiction of the BKA. But even now the case remained unsolved - a fact that never settled with the former Inspector. Or rather, they _did_ \- that case settled snugly inside his brain, there at all times, the thoughts he found his mind wandering to when idle. It was a madness born of failure. 

Heinrich Lunge had been known among his peers as the unflappable stoic, as the Inspector that never once left a case unsolved. His name was a threat to all crime, and he had worn it as any badge. _I have never left a case unsolved._ The Eisler Memorial Hospital case hung over his head, a stain on his perfect record. 

Some men, when down on their luck, turned to drink or drugs to soothe and quiet the sorrows in their mind. Lunge was not such a man, instead turning to other cases, filling his head with clues and puzzles across the city to satisfy his brain. They were simple, of course; there was no _challenge_ to these little side projects, and the lure of that one case always hung over him. It kept him locked in his study later and later, ignorant to the raps on his door for dinner or the calls for assistance. Ignorant to voices through the stained wood. Ignorant to when they ceased entirely.

The attempts at conversation even outside his study faded, slowly, until no one reached for him, no one stopped him from diving deeper into the past, further and further away. Looking back now, he supposed it was not they who left him...but rather, _he_ was the one no longer there. Yet strangely, even years later, he still found he expected to see her there, in the kitchen, preparing dinner while his daughter studied rigorously. But instead the house was empty, a ghost of itself. A ghost filled with regret and lost time. But loss wasn’t done with him, even then; it clung to him, latched with teeth into his mind. His wife, his daughter….no, loss didn’t stop there. Only short months later he was suspended indefinitely from all duties in the BKA.

It was during another of his….side projects, a meaningless case he took to keep his mind occupied. The murder of a prostitute - nothing significant, not really, not in the grand scheme. The culprit was obvious from the beginning, something that the man’s secretary showed clearly by the anxiousness he carried himself with. The case should have ended no differently than any other, but instead, he found himself with a second corpse. The secretary himself - along with a note, that the man was innocent.

He wondered sometimes if perhaps there had been another approach. If he could have gone about it differently. His actions had resulted in suicide - certainly not appropriate for the reputation of the BKA.

With little to do but toil over casework at home, Lunge was captive to the Eisler Memorial Hospital case.

Hours disappeared as he holed himself away, poring over what evidence he could. Time simply flowed in an endless passage - there were no days, there was simply consciousness and unconsciousness, flowing in circles. It was not a _healthy_ way to live, he knew it well enough - and those few who still maintained contact with him were honest enough to tell him so. He knew that, but with nothing else to task his mind, trying to sleep was impossible. 

He worked privately now, taking investigations presented to him by clients, but they were simple mysteries, nothing to toil his brain. A missing child taken by the spouse in a failing relationship, pets that vanished mysteriously, carelessly left out by their owners with predators lurking, jewellery stolen by perpetrators right under the client’s noses. Too easy, too simple. There was always that whisper of paper in his study, files and clippings waiting to be pored over as they were the night prior, and the night before that, endlessly. 

This was no different a night. He sat in his study, staring into space, reclined in his chair as fingers tapped idly on the desk. Once more he recounted the day’s events, considering all that had occurred, if there was any new data he had discovered for the unending case. He searched the databanks of his mind, his right hand dragging the phantom mouse to various files he had stored there. It didn't matter how many days he went through the same routine, nothing changed. Stagnant, the case smirked back at him. But tonight held a surprise, something _different_ , a change. Tonight, the light came on.

It was not a metaphor; twin lights bore down on his driveway, turning in and coming to a halt. _Odd._ His gaze leered down from his study, watching as a figure clad in black stepped out, her attire unfit for the heavy rain that fell, assaulting her hair as she bowed her head, approaching the door. _His_ door.

_Very odd._

He heard the steady ringing of his doorbell, a constant disruption that silenced his thoughts, loud and abrasive as it killed any attempts at clearing his mind. Exactly what the woman was doing at his door at this hour was questionable, but at this rate, it was clear she wouldn’t leave until he at least answered the door. The few cogs of his mind that _did_ function told him that this woman had a case for him. Someone who was familiar with his skills, and who trusted his judgement more than turning to the police.

He flicked the lightswitch on as he made his way downstairs, crinkling his face as the sound of the doorbell continued to reverberate in his mind, in his ears. Only when the light turned on in the foyer did the ringing cease, but its echoes still resounded in his head, phantom sounds that would fade in a few moments.

He was somewhat underdressed to greet - and perhaps dismiss - a guest; he wore a simple white button-up shirt and black slacks, his _’casual clothes’_ for around the house. Quickly he pulled on a dark brown jacket before he opened the door, to at least give the impression of vague presentability, though he was certain the bags under his eyes were sign enough he hadn’t much slept. 

The woman before him looked like a mirror to himself, exhaustion around her eyes betraying her weariness, the redness indicating tears. She was soaked, but what caught his attention was the _identity_ of this woman. He was taken off guard; he would never have expected to see miss Heinemann at his door after all this time. Of all the people to show up on his doorstep...a heart surrounded in fantasy might call it fate, but he believed in no such thing.

“Miss Heinemann.”

Before he could ask her what she was doing at his door at so late an hour, Eva was squeezing past him, into his home without invitation. Her lips curled up with a devilish smirk. “It’s been a while, Lunge.” She said his name - not Inspector, just Lunge. Coming from her it sounded wrong. Hers was a face that allowed him to revisit the past, but if she called him _Lunge_ , then he was forced back into the present. 

Perhaps that was for the better.

He quirked a brow, watching her as she dug into her purse, eyes never leaving him as she retrieved a small hairbrush and, as nonchalantly as if nothing were wrong with the scene, started combing through the mess left by the rain. His shock at her sudden arrival was brief, replaced quickly with a frown as he looked between her and the window, through it into the rain that seemed to have slowed only moments after she got inside.

“Is there something that I can help you with, miss Heinemann? Something that you deem cannot wait until morning.”

His question was phrased pleasantly enough, but what he was asking was clear. She came with a case; he wanted to hear it. His tone remained calm as he spoke, but there was a faint skip in his heart. _Something, anything to occupy the mind._ She came to him for a reason. He lived too far away to make such an effort if it weren’t worth her time.

The answer he received was a smirk that seemed out of place and a raised hand. She shook her head, chuckling - a hollow sound that ached. He could hear the sadness in it. 

“The living room. We’ll have a drink.”

A drink. 

Lunge hadn’t even opened his mouth to retort - he certainly wouldn’t be entertaining social visits at this hour - when Eva had turned on her heel, promptly heading inside, down the corridor toward her destination. She fixed him a glance over her shoulder, one that seemed hollow. Even more so than before.

“I won’t talk without a drink. Not after what I’ve been through today.” She was back on her path, heading - most probably - for drinks, or glasses. Glasses, more likely; she didn’t know where he kept the former. There it was again, that tragic chuckle that sounded vaguely ominous.

“Even _you_ may want a drink, after what I have to say.”

* * *

EVA

It’s sad to see him like this. Stepping into his home after so long...it was like stepping into a time capsule, being transported back through the years. He still had the same furniture - simple, economic, probably beautiful at one time. It looked colder than before. When she had last seen his home, there had been plants, paintings, photographs. It wasn’t _barren_ of decor, but the love and care was gone. Some of the photographs - removed for some reason that probably had to do with the silence of the house. It wasn’t just the hour; this didn’t feel like a lived-in home. 

True enough she had only been to his home once….twice, before, when they had colluded together, sharing information on Kenzo’s case. It was “preferred to barging into his office as she pleased” as he had put it. But two was enough...enough that she could pick out details, something that she had always been good at. Houses had a soul….Eva could read it. She observed details in decor, in the character of the house; markings on the wall, scratches in paint, chips in floor tiles, stains. The placement of a rug, the prominence of certain photographs over others, it didn’t mean much to some, but to Eva there was a story.

Former Inspector Lunge’s told her that he lived alone now. As she had made her way into the living room, down the hall and past the kitchen, she took note of what was missing - what had been lost to time. Two photographs in particular; one which she had personally liked. It had Lunge, his wife, and his daughter together, smiling. It used to sit on the coffee table by one of the two comfortable chairs. She could hear the quiet shuffling of Lunge behind her, then the clinking of glasses. She glanced his way, a thin smile on her lips as she moved to take a seat, crossing one leg comfortably over the other, sitting her purse in her lap. Lunge returned with two glasses, and a bottle of some bourbon she didn’t recognize. Drink was drink at this point; true enough she had her battles with it in the past, but as she’d said then, she had a damn good reason to drink.

She took the glass from him with a silent smile, swirling it almost leisurely in her grip, waiting for Lunge to take a seat in the matching chair adjacent to her own. She didn’t look at him, but felt those eyes on her, calculating, seeking entry. Oh he could try to read her mind, but she knew what sort of man he was. He couldn’t predict her the way he did others. His mind games had their weaknesses. As logical a man as he was - no, _because_ of his logic, Eva knew well enough how to keep him out, and how to keep his mind where she wanted it.

Slowly she took a sip from her drink, looking out through the darkened windows, out at the silently sullen atmosphere, at the lonely street lamp across the road that seemed more eerie than comforting right now. She was deliberate in her pace; slow, enjoying her drink, making him _wait_ \- not to tease his mind, but to sharpen it. The longer she refused to speak, the more he would focus on the what-ifs and possible scenarios; the more active his mind would become. She wanted his mind at its peak when she told him.

Painted nails clicked against the glass, and her eyes slipped closed, the faint etchings of a smile trying at her lips, trying and failing, her expression turning somewhere between respectably neutral and morose. _He’s dead._ It was so simple, two words. But oh, how they fought her, how her lips and tongue refused her. Speech took effort as she steeled herself, seeking, if she could, to remain calm. She’d wept all there was to weep; there was no need to cry again, to shed a single tear. No more, not until he was avenged.

But she dared not make it a promise, when she knew herself too well. She didn’t think she could keep it.

“Sorry for making you wait, Lunge.” she breathed, feeling the energy that his presence gave off like a blanketing atmosphere all its own. Blanketing....no, that was too soft a term. It felt like hot lights pointed at her from all angles. Now that she was speaking, that attention was focused.

“I received a phone call this evening from a mutual acquaintance of ours. Kenzo Tenma.” She paused, allowing those words alone to be absorbed. There was a shift in that energy; she chanced a look his way, a flicker of the eyes for only a moment. His face seemed sharper, colder if that was possible. But what caught her attention most was that he looked _awake_...that exhaustion that had been ever present was dissipating. 

“In our brief conversation, he told me that he’d discovered the identity of the killer in the Eisler Memorial Hospital murders. He also sound rushed, distressed. Of course I asked him if he was in any danger, but you know Kenzo. I’m sure even choking out his last moments he’d tell me he was fine.”

Too graphic, too bitter. She swallowed the rest of her glass, going for the bottle now to fill it again. Drown away the upset. Swallow it, kill it.

“And what did Doctor Tenma have to say? Did he give you a name.”

She didn’t have to turn to hear the uncertainty in his voice. Lunge suspected, but he didn’t know _what_ he expected to hear. Again she glanced his way when she heard a faint tapping; there it was, that quirk of his, the rhythmic movement of his fingers. Data, data, data. He’d committed something to his mind. She just chuckled again, a sound that became something like a warped giggle, manic and chaotic. _Control it -_ oh, she was doing her damnedest. She wanted to remain proper and dignified, and if this burst of strangeness kept her from falling, then she’d give herself this momentary lapse.

“I never got a name. He told me that we’d talk tomorrow. But I didn’t trust that, something felt wrong. So, I stopped by his house. And that’s…”

Lunge’s hand had stilled. Both were facing one another now, but neither really looking at the other; he could see her, as surely as she could see him, but his eyes went into a faraway place she couldn’t hope to grasp, and hers went down that winding road, back to Kenzo’s house, back to that wretched scene. Her finger twitched at the memory - that last feeling of…

_I really have to say it. But saying it makes it real._

“You know more about this case than anyone. I’d like to hire your services, Private Investigator Lunge. I’m going to bring whoever did this to justice.”

“I need you to tell me what you saw.” His voice was callous, it always was. But right now, it sounded strangely hesitant. “I need to know _exactly_ what happened to Doctor Tenma.”

She had tried, had done her best to avoid it. Implication had been enough - she was comfortable alluding to it, she could still avoid the truth like that. But this…

She narrowed her eyes, grip tightening on her glass. That damned man. She wanted his directness, she wanted his precision, in all ways but this. Was it not enough that she take him to see the scene itself? It was different, seeing it and _saying_ it. No, she held no longing pangs of love for Kenzo, but he remained someone that had shaped her life, someone who, in the end, had supported her. 

With lips that once whispered sweet love letters in his ear, that spat poison in his face, that howled sorrow in his embrace….they would now be used to kill him. 

Perhaps she should have gone to someone else after all. Lunge could go on believing Tenma was alive. Dieter, and Reichwein, Gillen, his friends….they could all believe he was alive for a little while longer, before news was released. But now with her own words, she would kill him in the eyes of another.

_I’m sorry._

“He’s dead. He was killed. Kenzo Tenma was murdered.”

_I’m sorry. Kenzo..._

She didn’t dare look up, not right away. She refused to look Lunge in the eye, unwilling to see his reaction. She could feel it, though, the way the air seemed to evaporate around them, the weight lifting. But it didn’t leave her comfortable; the atmosphere was weightless, like floating suspended in nothingness, with nowhere to plant her feet, nowhere to reach for stability, only empty space. That was the feeling in the room now, hollow, _true_ emptiness. She didn’t look at his eyes to see if there were emotions there. She knew that if she saw nothing, she would grow angry, but if she saw anything at all then the sorrow would return. Better not to know. Not even the usual tapping reached her ears. He was truly silent, for a time. But finally-

“...I see. And you came to me immediately after, then. Instead of the police.”

Eva still wouldn’t look up, staring at her empty glass. She could pour another. But she knew better than that. She wanted to drown herself, but Kenzo….he wouldn’t want that. She couldn’t indulge herself now, not at such a crucial moment.

“I told you. I want to bring whoever did this to justice. If I brought it to the police, they wouldn’t let me near the case. But you _know_ I won’t be kept away.” Finally, she did look up - less to gauge his response, and more to assert herself with a steeled gaze. She _would_ be a part of this investigation, whether he wanted it or not. But when she looked into those eyes there was no hesitation, no uncertainty. He looked knowing.

“Of course. That’s understandable, considering the circumstances. And as I no longer have colleagues to assist me, it may prove useful to have you around. And,” His own gaze met hers then, just as sharp, but not so cutting. “I imagine even if I were to refuse, you would find ways to meddle and interfere. This way I am aware of your actions.”

He was blunt, but that helped to ground her. That empty floating sensation was anchored; there was ground now, something to stand on. Eva allowed herself to slip back into reality, observing more than just her drink and Lunge’s face. She noted with mild amusement that he had downed his drink; she hadn’t been paying much mind until now. Though, he hadn’t gone for a second glass. He had greater restraint than she. 

“I take it you left the scene as it was?”

Lunge stood slowly, glass in hand, heading back toward the sink. Eva swivelled in her seat, uncrossing her legs and standing in a relatively fluid motion, her own emptied glass in hand and the bottle in the other, which she promptly handed off to Lunge.

“Correct.” Not quite. She had closed his eyes, lay him to rest in that sense, but the scene itself she had left alone, exactly for this reason. Lunge had a sharper eye even than her; he would catch all of the important details.

“Then we should go quickly. I’ll follow you in my car, and--”

Eva turned sharply, raising a hand to silence him, and surprisingly, he obliged. 

“You’ll be coming with me in _my_ car. I insist.”

She felt more comfortable with the notion that she controlled transportation. She could see the exasperated look he had, not particularly fond of the idea himself, but she didn’t care. She wanted this. Lunge, however, didn’t seem to budge, that steely look back in his eyes.

“Perhaps another time. We can’t do much tonight; a preliminary investigation of the crime scene is the best I can afford given the hour. There’s no need for you to waste more time driving me back home. I’ll be right behind you.”

She wasn’t happy with it, but she wasn’t going to argue too much. They _were_ wasting time. She huffed, heading back toward the front door, reaching into her purse for her keys, pausing only when she heard her name spoken abruptly. She didn’t turn around, only tilted her head back to acknowledge she’d heard. At first it seemed as though Lunge was hesitating on what he intended to say, but then….

“I am sorry for your loss, miss Heinemann.”

Eva closed her eyes, drawing in a deep breath as she turned her head slowly, letting it out in a quiet shudder, facing away from the calculating eyes of that man. She wouldn’t let him see the brief glimpse of pain, despite the kindness intended by those words.

“I don’t…..have time for that right now.” she breathed, her voice softer than before, stripped of power and left sounding uncertain and weary. “We should get going.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In summary: Lots of talking and they're only JUST leaving his house lol. I figured I should stop it here and cut to them taking a look at the crime scene in the next chapter because inevitably that'll be long.


	3. Mind Palace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lunge investigates Tenma's death by entering the late doctor's mind, and learns what he can from the victim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow there's more! It's still just Lunge and Eva, but by the end there are hints toward who else is gonna get involved. I promise there will be more than just brooding after this chapter lmaooo

If he were ever to imagine the death of Kenzo Tenma, it would have been a scene of martyrdom. Living in a world ruled by politics and backwards deals, quiet agreements in the name of capitalist gains, scapegoats made into stepping stones for those with power to ascend to greater heights, Doctor Tenma had remained the idealist. Even fleeing the law, with little time to spare on others, a life to save took priority in his eyes. Kenzo Tenma was, in simplest terms, a _good_ man. His death, then, imagined by Lunge, should be for a cause, death in place of another, death to prevent some greater wrong.

But that was a mere musing, a hypothetical concept. This was reality.

He felt very mortal, when he lay eyes upon the scene. He couldn’t claim to feel sorrow at the doctor’s death; not the sorrow that miss Heinemann surely felt. He had never known the doctor beyond the professional world to mourn him as a friend. But he surely did feel mortal vulnerability, and certainly there was a sense of loss. The former was understandable, but the latter...it was difficult to understand that feeling. A heaviness...that was empty. A realization that Tenma - who, now, Lunge had come to hold great respect for - had met his end most unfortunately.

Tenma was an innocent man who had been murdered. The medical world had lost a genuine prodigy, and the world at large had lost a man whose heart had been too good. A man that, perhaps, would not have died, would not have endured so long a life of running, had the former inspector’s pride not become such a monster then.

In time, the now private investigator would allow himself to indulge those thoughts, and to lament. He would pay his respects to the dead properly. But for now he shed the vestiges of emotion that clung feebly to regretful memories; he was not Heinrich Lunge the mourner, but Heinrich Lunge the private investigator, who could afford no such feeling. 

Miss Heinemann stood in the doorway at the end of the hall, but did not enter; she hung in the door frame, her weight tilted to one side in a forlorn lean, arms closed across her chest in an uncharacteristically defensive position. Uncharacteristic but understandable; this death was the third of someone dear to her in this case.

He felt her sharpened eyes upon him, knew her silent order. He was expected to determine as much as possible from an unfortunate minimum evidence or information. He could ask miss Heinemann more as he proceeded, but he had his doubts that the woman knew much more than what she had already divulged. He allowed himself to scour the scene first, using his immediate senses to learn what he could. Upon entry, he noticed in particular that everything remained _orderly;_ nothing had seemed out of place - shoes neatly set aside, no tracks of dirt off the rug, it was clean. Even stepping inside it only appeared to be a home that was lived in, not one that held such a crime. He took note of certain details. Sharp corners, areas of low visibility. Windows. The placement of the doctor himself, the direction he had fallen. Lunge now stood in the center of the room, just past the doctor. The doctor, who had infinitely more to tell. 

He allowed the data to fill his mind, and then the silence to take him away. The silence cleared his thoughts, allowed him to mask himself more easily. _I am you, Doctor._

“I am Kenzo Tenma.”

_Inspector Lunge....domo. This isn't your usual method, is it?_

“I am Kenzo Tenma….and I am an innocent man. I am free to do as I please.”

_Thanks to your testimony. I wouldn’t have gotten this far without your help._

“I joined the MSF. I will save many more lives across Europe. My skills would be an asset. I become successful...I take a short vacation. I return to Germany, to my home.”

_But something happens, doesn’t it? Do you know?_

“In that time, I meet someone….someone from my past.”

_Do you know that for sure?_

“I investigate….I need to know. I am suspicious of him….and I learn the truth.”

_He’s the one who killed them all. The doctors….Maurer….and so many more._

“I call Eva Heinemann. I tell her...she deserves to know...it was her father who was murdered, after all...I request a public meeting...not my own home...I feel wary...in public, we would be protected from any attempts on our lives…I fear for my life and for hers. But that's strange...I'm aware of the danger, yet I reach out...”

_That doesn’t quite sound like me, does it, Inspector?_

“If there were a threat that I knew about...I would want to keep her far away. It’s unusual for me to be so rash. Telling her now would put her at risk, so why not wait it out? The truth is….”

_Have you figured it out...?_

“...I already know that I probably won’t survive.”

_I hoped that she wouldn’t...but she came for me, didn’t she? And she saw...she shouldn’t have seen...not here, not like this._

“I planned to come home that night...I probably wouldn't sleep...I would prepare myself to meet with Eva in the morning, before they could get to me. But...it happened faster than I expected. I was caught off guard.”

_He knew where to find me. I wouldn’t have involved Eva if I knew..._

“No signs of forced entry. The killer was waiting...or an unknown accomplice was welcomed.”

_Knowing me, which do you think it was?_

“In such a state, knowing that there is a threat against my life….I would be hard pressed to open the door for anyone. There was a lack of scuff marks in the front entry...all appears normal. The killer knew where I lived...and was waiting for me.”

_That has to be it._

“I couldn’t be sure when it would happen...but I assumed I would have more time. A few days, at least. I assumed she would listen and wait until the arranged date and time.”

_She had no reason to go out of her way to come for me._

“I arrived home...it was dark, I couldn’t have perceived a professional killer. I remove my shoes...I step inside...I go for the light. The alcove in the kitchen...I couldn’t see it on the way in. All it took was one bullet...”

_I can’t give you much more data than that. I’m sorry._

The silence filled him again, the echoes of Tenma within his mind disappearing, fading. Lunge looked down at the man - who, true to form, had done all in his power to guard the lives of those he cared for. Lunge narrowed his eyes, taking in the paled and still body. He hadn’t considered that Eva would come for him. Lunge adjusted his jacket, turning away.

“You underestimate your value to those who care for you.”

It was not his usual methodology, to become the victim rather than the killer. It was strange, but in this case, there was more to be learned in the absence of the killer’s presence. He had collected substantial data surrounding the exact circumstances of his death...though, there was something missing. Tenma had contacted Eva...had called her from a cellular phone. Had he put it down when he came inside? Or was it now - more likely - in the hands of the killer?

If that were the case, then they would know Eva had been contacted. If she wasn’t already a target, then she would be, after this.

He looked up, to where she had been at the beginning of his venture into the mind of Kenzo Tenma, and frowned at the now vacant doorway. Down the empty hall he could still see her purse hanging over the stair rail, and her shoes by the door. She hadn’t left, but she was no longer watching. Had she gone upstairs, then? Perhaps for solitude. It gave him time to re-enter the scene, but this time as the killer. There was little data to collect, too little was known. But extrapolation based on what he had discerned from Tenma….perhaps that would help him.

* * *

She couldn’t do it.

She couldn’t watch.

She knew his methods….Lunge’s talent as a profiler was incredibly well known, but what she _hadn’t_ anticipated was how she, as an observer, would perceive it. She had watched from the doorway, watched as the man shed himself and donned the mask of Kenzo...his mannerisms, his voice, it changed at the drop of a hat. And listening to him, watching him, brought with it the image of Kenzo, as though he really were standing there in that hollow home. 

_I already knew I wouldn’t survive._

Of course he had. The fool...reaching out to her after so long...had he learned nothing about her? She was impatient, demanding...how could he ever expect her to listen to him, when she knew him better, when she _knew_ he was risking himself…

That case was dead. He shouldn’t have stirred it, shouldn’t have touched it. She lost two men she loved to that case, but with his help...and Reichwein...she had moved forward. He was a fool...he couldn’t just let it lie...and now because he dared to peek inside, because he stepped foot into the past, he had joined its ghosts.

She’d left after that, headed upstairs, headed into his room. She needed air, somewhere to let her mind breathe. She didn’t bother to turn on the light, but walked across the carpeted floor, soft and soundless underfoot, until she reached the window. Fingers traced along the frame, seeking the latch to unlock it, the crank to open it. Cool air reached her face, and Eva took a deep breath of that air, breathed in the lonely night mixed with the familiar scent of this room. 

No one would sleep in here again. No one she cared to acknowledge. 

Despite the cool of the air, she could feel her insides start to burn, to bubble. Sorrow had given way to something else, hot and venomous, that turned her eyes to embers, her nails to claws. 

_Three_ men she loved. Three. And countless many others….did they have loved ones, too? So many lives...ruined by a man that had been inside this very house.

It filled her with _hate._

Wrapped in dark thoughts and darker emotions, she barely noticed the movement of a shadow, something shifting in the hall just beyond Kenzo’s door. _Almost,_ but she did. She turned on it with vengeance in her eyes - for, at least, a few seconds, before recognition melted away cryptid phantoms her eyes had conjured, leaving her with only a thudding heart and shot nerves as she regarded the very human former inspector.

No more drinks, perhaps...but she could go for a smoke after this. She certainly wouldn’t sleep.

* * *

It had almost, for a moment, looked as though miss Heinemann would attack him. Those eyes spoke rage, and she herself looked ready to pounce, to use whatever was handy as a weapon. Leaving herself in the dark, it was no wonder she startled at his approach. But, this was important. He had headed upstairs, only vaguely pondering how odd it felt to wander so freely about a dead man’s home.

Seeing her silhouetted against the dark was an image both haunted and haunting; she looked to be struggling with herself, keeping painful emotions at bay. But she herself looked like a part of the scenery as faraway lights bathed her in fading glows, her distant eyes and forlorn look emulating the atmosphere around her. There was a beauty to it, in the way sadness could be. 

“I’m not interrupting anything.” 

It was more a statement than a question, phrased in monotone. Lunge’s own expression was creased, not quite so rigid as usual. He could feel it as she roved over him with tired eyes, seemingly calculating something before she shook her head, going back toward the window without a word. Lunge followed, but kept distance, allowing her the barest of privacy.

“Our killer knew where to find Tenma. Someone who he knew, perhaps, or someone who has been keeping an eye on him. His murder was out of necessity, to keep a certain identity unknown, but that troubles me.” He looked up, attempting to catch her gaze, but Eva refused, her eyes firmly set forward. He addressed her regardless.

“You’re sure you took nothing from downstairs? Nothing he was holding, perhaps.”

A pause, but one answered quickly. “Nothing.”

“Then I believe, miss Heinemann, it’s a very good thing you are not at home right now.”

That _did_ receive a look, narrowed eyes and a scowl. No words, not yet, but her eyes demanded answers. He would of course oblige. 

“Tenma’s phone appears to be missing. It would make sense for me as the killer to take it, if my identity may have been leaked to a third party. It’s very likely that he knows Tenma was in contact with you. I imagine he may be very displeased right now, finding your home to be empty. It’s a very good thing that you responded to the incident as you did, miss Heinemann.” 

Her eyes grew wider, only mildly, betraying surprise that lasted only a few moments before she nodded slowly. “I suppose that makes sense. I’m a loose end that needs to be cut.”

She accepted it with such ease. Lunge’s nod was slow, subtle. “So it would seem.”

She smirked then, her expression illuminated for a brief moment under the moon, before clouds once more shrouded them in eerie shadow. The chuckle that she gave was as hollow as her expression, as empty as she doubtless felt. 

“I had put it all behind me, you know. I’d moved on.”

Lunge couldn’t say the same. An unsolved case, evidence or none, was a stain upon him. It had never closed in his mind, but he could empathize; certainly this wasn’t how he would have envisioned it to resurface. Nor was it particularly pleasant. Another murder to the string did nothing to excite him for the pursuit; loss of life was a considerable tragedy.

He turned away from the window, away from musing distant thoughts. It was for the best that they left now; too long spent here did neither any good. He had obtained as much data as was possible for the night; external collection would be required for anything new - inquiries to locals, odd behaviour, sightings of an unfamiliar vehicle in the area.

“You should notify the police of the incident. The killer already knows you’re involved. We’ve learned all there is to learn at present; I know you don’t want to involve the police, but we may benefit from their insight. They have resources that we as individuals do not. And,” He spoke a little louder for that final word, raising his voice only slightly as Eva made to interject. She stopped at the pitching of his voice, letting her jaw set for a moment longer. 

“one young officer remains a companion of mine. I’m quite certain he would share police findings, given the circumstances. This is still my investigation, miss Heinemann. I’m simply suggesting that we allow the police to do as much of the legwork as possible. And it _will_ publicize the incident, which works to our benefit. It’s rather difficult to silence someone when the media has the issue under the spotlight.”

She turned fully toward him then, her eyes hardened and thoughtful, the clockwork of her mind shining through. “For my protection, you mean.”

“It would certainly make targeting you a difficult task when the police are aware of your situation, and the newspapers have publicized the murder.”

She seemed to think about it for a moment, clearly in distaste toward the notion. Lunge urged again, with a little more incentive this time.

“The officer in question was a friend to Tenma. I assure you, his bias in this case can be indulged. It won’t be difficult to convince him to cooperate with us.”

“I’m not going into hiding. I want that man to feel _my_ hatred, personally.”

Of course she wouldn’t. And, he knew well enough, she certainly wouldn’t be told what to do by any _unfamiliar_ faces, let alone by those known. 

“At least for the night, you will need shelter. And going forward, you will be assigned a bodyguard. That should suffice, I think.”

He saw a souring of her expression, another faded memory that bled at the heart. He had pricked a wound unknowingly, but she didn’t allow it to taint her for long, instead simply nodding her head. “Then, what about tonight?”

“Tonight does pose a problem.” he mused, pondering in silence, before looking up with a half-smirk. “It seems you may have been correct in your suggestion before we left, miss Heinemann. It may have been better suited had we only taken one vehicle after all.”

She quirked a brow, but said nothing. She seemed to understand the implication, but awaited his words, deigning to first listen to see what he said on the matter himself, before making a judgement.

“I’m afraid as much as I speak of the police in this case, I see their work only as a tool to our hastened success. I cannot say I trust them to handle your safety at the moment. Without knowing the current whereabouts of our killer, nor his identity, there are few locations I would call ‘safe’. However there is no reason for the perpetrator to suspect you would have come to my home, as I am a relative oddity in this situation. Logically, there is no reason for you to seek aid from a disgraced detective. In fact, it may be _assumed_ you would turn to the police. So then, as an anomaly...it may be safe were you to stay with me. I have vacant quarters you are welcome to, if you should choose. However, if it’s more to your preference, then you may choose to remain under protection with the police.” He gestured toward the door, beginning back down the hall toward the stairs. “In either case, you must notify the police of the incident with haste. The sooner they can begin, the better for us. In turn, we should take our leave. We don’t know if our angered killer may return here in search of you.”

* * *

To stay with Lunge….in _vacant quarters,_ as he put it. One man, or the police force….Eva couldn’t say that she knew the affiliation of the local police very well, but she was a woman wronged too many times; hypothetical corruption and uncertainty lay in wait with strangers, regardless of their true intentions. A familiar face that she knew could be trusted was greatly preferred.

“Then I suppose we should get going,” she murmured, her steadiness, sure-footed in appearance, if only in that. “back to your home, private investigator.”

She watched as Lunge left, remaining a moment longer to close the window once more. She drew in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. It was the last she would take in his home, in his room, the room that still smelled so familiar. She didn’t dare to turn on the light even then; to fill her mind with him now was to add needless sorrow. Still, as she turned away, fingers resting against the door frame as she headed out into the hall, she allowed two words to slip.

“Goodbye, Kenzo.”

Her mind sighed with her heart, as though released by his ghost all at once. _Goodbye. I’ll see you again, one day._ Or perhaps not. She doubted she was bound for gilded gates and sunlight on pure white clouds.

She joined Lunge moments later, down the stairs and back to the door, back to the night that seemed less strange to her now. _Goodbye._ How incredibly liberating that word could be. She pulled her purse over her shoulder, looking ahead into the breeze. She released a forlorn chuckle, not unlike the one from before, filled with a darkened mirth.

“Every man that has ever given me love was killed. I wonder if I’m cursed.”

There was silence beside her, for a moment, before the inspector turned with those calculating eyes, that stolid expression. “There is no such thing.”

It wasn’t spoken as a comfort, but she took it as one nonetheless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohoho....I wonder who that young cop could be.....it's surely not obvious....
> 
> I hope the "mind palace" scene was alright...I wanted to do something a little interesting with it. It's all happening in Lunge's head, though most of it is just his mind projecting data in order to help him "read" Tenma. Idk, it was an experiment, guess I'll see how it comes across and whether I should continue to use that or go to a more traditional way of writing it.


	4. Good Cops, Bad Cops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lunge and Eva have a chat with the police in the hopes of using their resources to help hasten solving the case. A threat is issued that seeks to dismantle any trust that Eva may have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took a while, it wound up being absolutely massive...
> 
> This is where the BS starts. I am an entertainer not a master in police procedures but here I go anyway.

There was a dread in the air that chilled the young officer down to the bone. Suk had felt it ever since the midpoint of his shift, a dull shiver that bothered him only enough to be a nuisance. He was one of the last left at the station, then, going on his third coffee to keep him awake. It was a pretty quiet shift, which should have been the tipoff that something was wrong. There was _never_ peace, not like this. Hell they didn’t even have any drunks put away for the night. He’d been glad at the time, happy to just end his shift with Zeman and Braun and head home. But…the call from Ms. Heinemann…

Four words was all it took. Four words and the cold chill sank deep into his spine.

_Doctor Tenma is dead._

He’d asked, had her repeat the name, just to make sure. _Yes. Kenzo Tenma. Are you listening to me, detective?_

He didn’t need the coffee; those words alone spiked his awareness. In his mild panic, the young detective had jerked suddenly, grip loosening on the paper cup and spilling the bland, black, bitter drink across the desk. A real testament to his emotional state. The raised eyebrows from his colleagues for his blunder and the near-smirk from Zeman in particular faded quickly; there must have been some real haunted look on his face when theirs suddenly shifted to concern. Braun said something, but Suk hadn’t heard it. The next thing he knew, they were packing up to head out to the scene, leaving just Zeman behind to keep things sorted at the station. Whatever chill had sunk its claws deep into his marrow had traveled with him on that trip.

Was it better to know now - to be the one receiving the call himself, shocked out of his mind but aware, or would he have rather enjoyed a blissful sleep thinking that all was well, only to wake the next morning and hear the news?

Selfish though it was, he wished he could’ve had the latter.

There was no one present when they pulled in; no lights on, no vehicles. Eva had promised to speak to the police the next day, said she'd had enough for tonight. Even promising that the police would protect her hadn’t been enough. It wasn’t as though they couldn’t track her down if necessary, though, so he hadn’t been too worried.

Stepping into Tenma’s home, though...turning on the light…

Suk wasn’t sure what he expected to feel at the time, or see - a part of him almost wondered if it had really been called in, if they were really at Tenma’s home right now - but there was no mistaking when the light shone down, glaring and yellow, on a body that looked like it had been there for a few hours at least.

Exactly what happened from then on...it was all blurred and messy in his mind. There had been talking, something about _gunshot_ and _bullet, six to eight hours, Heinemann_...but none of it made any sense in his head, not then. They were all just words that didn’t mean anything. He was never good at this part of the job...on the scene, in front of a real corpse...a real _person,_ dead, in front of him...made worse by knowing the victim personally. And when they pulled the cloth over Tenma's face…

That was probably when he’d excused himself. He didn’t remember hearing anything else about what happened to Tenma, but he did vaguely remember feeling someone’s hand on his shoulder and something muttered to him before he left. Braun told him to...Braun had told him to get some air, said that he’d “take care of it”. What he really meant was Suk looked like shit and needed to leave.

He was really useless as a cop. This was the second time...it wasn’t even like Tenma had been gruesomely murdered, something about it just hit him…

Looking into his barely-touched drink, the only thing he could think about was how _wrong_ this all felt. This whole case...it was supposed to be over. It _was_ over. Everyone except for former Inspector Lunge had been able to accept that. Lunge had been the only one that couldn’t settle with the results and it had driven him over the edge.

There weren’t many people who bothered to keep in contact with the former Inspector these days. He'd shut himself away, but Suk had always tried. He’d worried about his mentor’s mental state. Suk was one of only….maybe _two_ people who bothered with him any more. In a way he couldn't blame the ones who left; he’d seen Lunge deteriorate over time. Chasing Tenma as long as he had should have been a sign that things weren’t well on this particular case, but the man had conceded to the truth, accepted the evidence brought forward to prove Tenma’s innocence and had even testified in his defense. In those days, Suk had been optimistic - had believed that Lunge would let the case drop when no further evidence was brought forward. Optimism had no place in a detective's life; instead of letting it lie, Lunge had just gotten worse - tearing apart his family life, and then finally his career. That fiasco with the minister...no one really bothered with him after that, except for Suk and Grimmer.

In the end, Suk _couldn’t_ let go; couldn't bring himself to separate himself from his mentor. Lunge had taught him so much of what he knew...even if he was disgraced, even if he was forced to step down looking like an embarrassment to the public eye...he was still a brilliant man. He and Grimmer both...they’d gotten Suk to where he was.

He wondered if Lunge knew about this. _What_ he knew. There was a dull temptation to call him, but at this hour….at this hour he couldn’t in his right mind. The man barely slept as it was. If by chance he _was_ sleeping now, he couldn’t take that from him. But tomorrow, after meeting with Eva, he was definitely going to give the former Inspector a call. After hours, of course...there was no way Braun or Zeman would approve of him sharing anything with Lunge now, especially not on this case. But if there was _anyone_ who could offer them any good insight…it was _absolutely_ Lunge. Suk had no doubt about that.

...He was going to have to tell Grimmer, too. There was no way that he knew...the murder was too recent, and it hadn’t made any news. It was going to be hard on Grimmer...he’d been one of the few people that believed in Tenma’s innocence from the beginning, had gone so far as to protect him when the wrong sorts came looking for him. Tenma had been the one that sought out Suk then, pleading for the young officer to help him rescue Grimmer. He could’ve just arrested the doctor then, brought him in for Lunge to question and for the system to try and find guilty. But he’d taken a chance on Tenma. He trusted Tenma.

Suk balled a fist, downing his drink. He had a bad feeling about all of this. That foreboding chill hadn't left him, even now. He glanced sideways across the tables, almost hoping he'd see Anna here tonight. But it seemed not even she could curb his sorrows. He was alone tonight. A part of him wanted another drink, but he knew he couldn’t, not yet. Not when he had an important meeting tomorrow.

* * *

The loneliness of Lunge’s home was a constant weight that night, a question that lingered heavily in the air. It was already strange, to be invited into a man’s home only to sleep in a separate room. The Eva who owned the world would have teased an opportunity, swaying hips and smirked lips seeking frailties in the former detective’s defenses. But she was not that Eva; instead was silently complacent as she was brought to his flat, hands rested in her lap the whole while, eyes straight ahead as she gave herself time to rebuild walls around her fragile heart, building her defenses. She was directed to the spare bedroom, and excused for the night with a polite nod from the inspector. She pushed the door closed behind her once Lunge had gone, resting with her back to the painted white wood, head bowed. It was dark, impossible to see anything, but she didn’t bother to turn on the light. The dark was calm now, allowed her to relax. She welcomed its somber uncertainty.

Pushing off of the door, she walked along the carpet, one arm extended out, seeking barely-visible surfaces around her person, giving herself enough headway to halt before she walked into walls, drawers, the bed itself. Her fingertips found soft material, and she drew her hand along its surface, until she felt the fold where the blankets ended. Reaching a little higher, she found the pillows - the bed had been made neatly, she could tell that even without the light. She wondered how long it had been since this room was occupied, if there were any ghosts of Lunge’s family that could be found - mementos, forgotten belongings.

She could maintain ignorance, in the dark. But the question still lingered. Even with the looming knowledge that once again she would have to tell her story to yet another face, she managed to find more intrigue in the question of Lunge’s family, _how_ and _when_ he lost them. It was in her nature, even numb and mourning, to be curious, to be nosy. There was of course the official story, but she craved details; she had a _need_ to know the happenings in others’ lives, and not knowing bred determination. Tonight she was thankful for it; while it kept her mind active, her sleep restless, it was better than sorrowful thoughts and images haunting her in dreams.

When she and Kenzo had been together, he had always been able to distract her busied mind on nights that it wouldn’t quiet. She found peace in a warm body. Kenzo, Martin, the countless others in between, however little they really cared for her in the end. They had at least served their purpose. She felt bitterly amused; she was a woman in mourning, in desperate need of attention, and here she was alone, when she could easily slip out of bed, head down the hall and demand it from the former inspector. The Eva who took what she wanted and asserted her place at the top had long gone to rest; tired, worn, lonely, she could only wind the blankets tighter around herself and wait for sleep to take her.

Sleep was murky, dark, filled with images and sounds without context, without coherency. Shadowy faces, Kenzo’s car, gunshots, Lunge’s voice, footsteps and screeching tires, red, red, _red._ Sleep had hardly been restful.

She woke to light filtering in, the sounds of birds reaching her ear all too merrily. For a few minutes, she just lay there; she didn’t feel particularly rested, but she didn’t feel like sleeping, either. If she could simply lie in the tangled blankets like this for a few hours, she would be content, but at least _one_ part of the old Eva had woken up, the part reminding her that this was not her home, and that sulking could wait until after she had her revenge.

She sat up slowly, the light finally revealing the room she had slept in more clearly. Paint faded, chipped in places. There were no pictures on the wall, nor the nightstand, nor the dresser, nor anywhere else; it was barren, a room whose only trace of life came in small signs - wear and damage to the paint, marks where the wall was scuffed from moving furniture, cracks in the corner of the window ledge. He’d taken everything down that could conceivably remind him of them, but that only drew attention to their absence even more.

With little else to occupy her mind, Eva turned, sliding off the edge of the bed. It dawned on her that she didn’t have a proper change of clothes; for now she had no choice but to manage in what she had worn all yesterday. She opened the door, padding quietly into the hall. She could hear quiet sounds of movement from the kitchen - Lunge had, most likely, been awake a while by now. Eva followed the sound cautiously, one hand trailing along the wall. She stood in the corridor, just beyond the threshold where she saw Lunge sat at the dining table with a cup of coffee, his eyes lifting to meet her.

“Good morning, miss Heinemann.”

The words snapped her to attention, the confident Eva taking control once again. She was a facade, of course, to cover her own exhaustion. Eva pressed a hand daintily to her chest, a small smile on her lips as she eased into the kitchen properly with the slightest sway in her step, a calculated and fluid movement. “Why thank you, Lunge. _You’re_ certainly up early.”

There was a forced vibrance to her voice - the shields were up, a natural defense against last night and all that it entailed. Porcelain smiles and glittered eyes - it kept the somber side at bay, caged where it belonged, out of sight. She’d spilled her sorrows enough for one night. It was just like Kenzo said; _tomorrow would be a good day._ If she said that to herself enough, she might start to believe it. It was hard to gauge what Lunge thought of her change in attitude, his expression as stoic as ever. He had always been good at that, but even he had weaknesses. Weaknesses that he buried, hid away, photographs he’d set aside in the darkest corners of this house, and of his mind, to be forgotten.

“I’ve been awake for a while.” His tone was cool and as personable as could be expected of the former inspector, the edges of a smile hinted at the mild quirk of his lips. “I was going to make coffee when you woke. I thought you might like a drink before we begin discussing our next course of action.”

No matter the hour, work was always at the forefront of his mind. Eva narrowed her eyes, closing the remaining distance and sitting in the chair adjacent to Lunge’s, crossing one leg slowly over the other. “I have to report to that boy, the one from over the phone. Tell him everything I know.” Her lips curled downward then, brow creasing as she leaned forward, hands clasped together on the wood surface. “Why is it you wanted _him,_ specifically? He sounded like a nervous wreck. You trust him to cooperate with you? With _us_?”

Lunge stood, crossing behind Eva as he made his way to fill a second cup with coffee. “Agent Suk is indeed a nervous and ill-equipped officer, but he lends us two advantages. The first; he has an unfortunate inability to keep his mouth shut if he perceives any reason to trust a companion. In this particular case, that works to our advantage. And the second,” He glanced over his shoulder to Eva, whose gaze only narrowed. “he and I happen to share a history. I was his mentor in the beginning, and he assisted in Tenma’s case, particularly events surrounding the journalist that was unlawfully detained in Prague.”

New chapters to an old story, a case she didn’t care to reminisce on now. She hadn’t known of the journalist, nor did she care to learn; the importance of Lunge’s spiel was that the cop trusted him, and would likely be willing to divulge information to the private investigator. So long as he could be used, she would be more than happy to provide all the details as needed.

Eva drew a hand through her hair, then down the front of her blouse, tsking softly. “I’ll need a change of clothes before I confront any officer. I have certain standards, you know.”

Lunge brought the coffee back to the dining table, on a tray with both cream and sugar. Eva elected for this morning to ignore both; the plain taste suited her well enough, an echo of her heart, blackened and bitter.

“That could work to our advantage. We don’t know who’s seen you that may be affiliated with our killer, or may have been made to divulge your whereabouts.”

Dark eyes lifted, brows raising in amusement. Being told that shopping for new clothes worked to her benefit...that was new. She uncrossed her legs, recrossing them in reverse, letting one hand rest comfortably on the table. “And you’ll be my bodyguard, isn’t that right?”

“Of course. As I said.”

Lunge was a man of principles; that hadn’t changed. A promise made was a promise kept, and should a man offer aid to a woman it was expected he follow through on his word. Yet more weaknesses to a seemingly infallible man.

Eva took a sip of her coffee. “You made it sound like there could be accomplices. Is that what you think?”

She watched him carefully, looking for the faintest hints she was right, but he shut her out; eyes closed, coffee to his lips, he cut off all possible tells from her sight. Setting it down, his eyes stayed closed a moment longer; he knew, of course, better than to open his eyes when Eva, charming though she was, had dug her talons in. She wouldn’t find any answers from him now.

“We’ll address that when we meet with Agent Suk.”

The afternoon couldn’t come sooner. Waiting would be murder. But, at least the time between their quiet breakfast and the meeting with the police would be well spent; taking the tall, dark, and serious former officer out on a  _shopping_ venture was far too delightful a notion. He was, unexpectedly, not so uncomfortable as she might have thought; he carried himself with confidence, and offered opinions when prompted - to the mild extent of a gentleman, at least. Of course, regardless of his opinion she chose the outfit that she preferred - but even that garnered no visible dissatisfaction from him. Perhaps his wife had been the same way, or perhaps he knew too little to be offended that his opinions were refused.

She considered buying him something - a tie, perhaps, but there was no need; he was already a well-dressed man, one who...Eva would say held a similar desire for strong first impressions, much like herself. They were a two cut of the same cloth, at least in some respects. But now was hardly the time to ponder on the inspector; a young, naive cop was waiting for them.

* * *

Suk had only met miss Heinemann a few times before, and never in a formal, proper setting like this. She had always intimidated him, the few brief interactions they’d had. She carried herself with such a powerful atmosphere, like she owned the damn city. It made him feel so small by comparison, even though she’d never directly turned that sharp tongue of hers on him. She’d never ridiculed or berated him, specifically, but he could feel that sense of authority permeating from her like an atmosphere that just clung to her. So to meet her now, in _this_ sort of situation...when she was bound to be emotionally distraught, and he was the one asking her upsetting questions…

He wished he didn’t have to do it. He’d have been glad to let anyone else take this case, if it weren’t for Tenma. He’d bear whatever berating he received for Tenma’s sake. He just...hoped she didn’t expect any sort of condolences from him; he’d never been good at that, at comforting.

He found himself checking his watch every couple of minutes. She was supposed to arrive at the station at a quarter after, but he had no idea how reliable ms. Heinemann really was. She seemed like the sort of person who did whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted to...but it wasn’t helping that he couldn’t keep focused. Everything was moving a mile a minute which meant two minutes felt like twenty and it wasn’t as though they had a lot of other cases to focus on - some car thief and a fire had been reported, and there was a shooting that had so far been ruled as gang activity and had been handed off to another unit for further investigation. Tenma’s murder hung over everyone’s heads. What he hated _most_ about it was that he knew everyone else was watching him - keeping an eye on him because _Suk is emotionally connected to this case_ and _he already had a rough time with it last night_. They meant well, he knew that, but treating him like he was fragile…

Suk glared at the case file he’d prepared, eyes narrowing at the yellow-beige folder. He’d typed up as many details as had been provided last night - which wasn’t to say a lot - and had everything prepared for ms. Heinemann’s statement. All he was missing now was ms. Heinemann herself. And there were still ten minute-

“Lunge? What are _you_ doing here?”

“I’m here at the request of my client, miss Eva Heinemann. If you would please show us to Detective Suk.”

Voices in the front lobby and trickling down the hall caught Suk’s already hyperfocused attention, and he rushed into the hall himself. He could feel his palms grow slick in anticipation and anxiousness, and stuffed his hands into his pockets, drawing his shoulders back and his head up as he met the duo - along with another junior officer - midway through the halls. Sure enough, former inspector Lunge was there, along with Eva Heinemann.

He...couldn’t really _help_ the wandering eyes, when she smiled at him….she was a marvellously beautiful woman...nothing like the cute charm of Anna, but…

She was wearing this form fitting black strapless dress, a long beige autumn jacket, a white scarf, and a pair of black stiletto heels. She brought a hand up slowly, tossing her hair with a flick of her wrist, eyes not once leaving the young detective, like they were boring into his flesh. He once again felt small, now being stared down by both ms. Heinemann _and_ former Inspector Lunge.

“So you’re Detective Suk.”

Jan swallowed, giving a small nod. He chose not to mention they had spoken before, and crossed paths before that. He’d never been important enough to be memorable, he wasn’t surprised that she’d forget him.

“Yes….ma’am. This way please….but only you, past this point, I’m afraid.”

She scowled when he said that. He’d already made a mistake. “Lunge has important information to share with you, too. You’ll have _both_ of us.”

The look on her face was sharper, that assertiveness turned on him. His hands were getting sweaty again, and he lowered his gaze for a second, giving himself a moment to prepare before he looked back up to meet her eyes. “That’s true, ma’am, but I’ll speak to each of you individually. That’s just the way we do things.”

“You’ll do things differently this time, detective, or I won’t talk at all. I'm not wasting time on two recounts of the same damn events.”

Suk could already feel the headache coming on, resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. Great. Excellent. The one thing he needed to do….

“Speaking to the detective individually may work to our advantage, miss Heinemann.”

Both blondes looked up at Lunge in the same instant, mirrored confusion in their faces, Eva’s laced with annoyance. Lunge was looking at neither of them directly, his gaze distant and thoughtful, internalized on his own mind.

“To preserve objectivity, it serves us better to recall data individually. Regardless of intentions, our memory of past events, and the nature of information gathered, may be affected by the recollections of another individual. What I may postulate and theorize will have bearing on the direction of your thoughts, and you may subconsciously seek details from your memory that conform to my theories. The reverse, of course, is also true. Besides,” He turned toward Eva then, hands neatly tucked into his pockets. ”we currently have no leads. It's hardly a waste of time.”

Jan wouldn’t have thought of _any_ of that himself, but he was glad that Lunge supported his policies. There was a faint bristling from Eva - he could feel it, like a faint shock of lightning down his spine - but she conceded, giving a short nod and heading into the room without a word. She clearly wasn’t happy being told no, but she also wasn’t about to argue it - not when fighting pointlessly took away from solving the case. Jan gave the former Inspector a look of thanks before pulling the door closed behind him, though no visible response was given.

Now, Ms. Heinemann’s story…

Jan sat at the table, thumbing the file, flipping the folder open, eyes raising to find that Eva was staring at him intently, a neutral, almost cold look to her now. The passionate argumentative side of her seemed to have receded, leaving only some sort of anger and ice in its absence. Jan cleared his throat, swallowing. “Well, the first thing, miss Heinemann...I want you to recall, with as much accuracy as you can, the exact events leading up to discovering the body.”

The detective kept his voice as neutral as possible, sitting up straight, professionally. Eva was leaning forward a little in her seat, tapping her index finger idly on the wood of the table. She was restless, he could see that. He thought about offering her a glass of water or coffee, but before he could open his mouth to speak, she was already starting.

“A phone call.”

Her voice was low, devoid of any real emotion. “He called me several hours before I found him at home. He was about to head out on the road.”

“And what were you doing at the time? When he called you.”

The look she gave him was sharp, but he kept his gaze steady.

“I was at home, checking my email messages. I was expecting correspondence from an interested client looking to remodel their kitchen. I had expected an email or a phone call, so I thought it had been my client at first.”

“So you weren’t expecting a call from him, then.” He wrote something down, eyes going between the paper and ms. Heinemann.

“No. I haven’t spoken properly to Kenzo since he left the country. I knew he was back, but I hadn’t taken the time to visit him yet. I haven’t had the time.”

“And on the phone. What did he say?”

There was a pause, Eva reaching into her purse and rummaging around for something - presumably notes, something she had written down. Or that was what the detective assumed; instead she retrieved a lighter, and a pack of cigarettes from a smaller pouch.

Jan narrowed his eyes. “I’m sorry, ma’am. You’re not permitted to smoke in here.”

She looked up, watching him as she lit the damn thing. He didn’t stop her, instead standing and turning to open the window behind him as Eva took a long, slow drag on her light, letting out a heaved sigh. She didn’t speak until Jan had returned to his spot, pen in hand.

“I don’t remember, word for word. But he told me…” She glared at nothing, at a spot on the table as she took another drag. “He said he’d found out who it was that killed my father. He sounded rushed. Told me to meet him tomorrow morning so we could talk. Lunge-”

She paused, narrowing her eyes as though she was considering something, the frown soon dissipating as she let out a puff of air. “Never mind. He’ll tell you himself. After that, he hung up. I didn’t get a name. I went to his house, and that was when I found him.”

Eva was looking over the detective’s shoulder now, reversing her legs and leaning back into her chair, one arm tucked in closer to her chest; a defensive gesture, a sign of pain.

“Was the door already unlocked when you got there?”

His voice stayed steady, but he knew they were leading into territory he didn’t want to touch. What happened to Tenma….seeing his corpse like that…

“Yes. I found the spare key he keeps for emergencies, but the door was already unlocked. There was no sign of a struggle inside. I just stepped into the kitchen, and there he was.”

_And there he was._

A lump, barely noticeable, was growing in Suk’s throat. He gave a small nod; there wasn’t much point in asking Eva if she knew of any possible enemies the doctor might have had - she already said Tenma hadn’t given her any names, but the murder was clearly to silence him, to keep him from revealing the identity of the Eisler Memorial Hospital murderer. He wondered how much of that Lunge knew; she’d gone to him first, clearly, if he was representing her as a private investigator on this case.

Lunge being this involved could be dangerous. He’d have to keep an eye on him, if he got reckless. Suk clasped his hands together, leaning forward a little, a tiredness coming to his eyes.

“I….don’t suppose you have any guesses as to who he might have been in contact with before you. Or who could have been at his residence. A car you saw driving by...someone walking in the area...anyone suspicious...anything that we could go on.”

Eva sat back, cigarette hanging loosely between her lips, her eyes lowered to the table once more. “Nothing clear. It was dark, when I arrived. I didn’t see anyone on my way in, or out.”

He was putting the pieces together, building the case as Eva recounted everything. In the time that Eva took to drive to Tenma’s house, Tenma himself had driven home, unlocked the door, and shortly after that, was murdered. He couldn’t have been far, wherever he was coming from. Suk swallowed hard, looking down at the paper, his chest growing tight. He forced himself to look up, to try to catch her eyes.

“I hate to ask you this, Ms. Heinemann, but when you saw him...by the time you saw him, was there any colour left in his face?”

There was a long, suffocating silence. She didn’t give any verbal response, just closing her eyes and very slightly shaking her head as she took a particularly long drag of her cigarette. _No._ It was a horrible question to ask someone, he felt ill for doing that to her, but it was important.

“It’s just...that can help us narrow down how long ago he died. Um…” He cleared his throat. “When did you contact Lunge? Was that immediately afterward?”

“It was. I went to his home directly. We had a drink, he took my case, and we went back to Kenzo’s house so he could look around before any police came sniffing.”

“But you didn’t take anything, did you?”

“Not a thing.” Her posture had started to slouch inward, on herself, that defensiveness back again as she went to put out her cigarette. “It wasn’t long after that when I called you, Detective.”

He could see that she was winding down. As she was now, he probably woudln’t get much more cooperation out of her. By the way she wouldn’t even look at him, he knew he’d lost her focus entirely. She had such a wistful, sad look in her eyes. Jan nodded slowly, collecting up his papers. “Then...I think that’s all for now, Ms. Heinemann. I’ll have to ask that you stay with us at the station for now, as you’re probably the next target of the killer if he thinks you know his name. If you could send the Ins...send Lunge in…”

The woman stood slowly, uncrossing her legs and brushing off the skirt of her dress. She went for another cigarette, but stopped, her hand suspended in midair before it fell to simply rest on her hip. “Don’t worry, detective. I didn’t have _any_ plans on leaving. I’m no fool. Whoever killed Kenzo wants to clean up his mess. And women like me are known to talk.”

She didn’t give him so much as another look. She just turned on her heel, tossing her hair once more as she headed to the door, with that subtle sway in her hips that Jan couldn’t help but notice. He glanced away when he felt his face flush, nodding and looking over his notes as Eva stepped outside once more.

* * *

No plans to leave….the kid was as naive as Lunge had said. Oh, she wasn’t going anywhere yet; as Eva pulled the door shut behind her, she made her way back to where Lunge was waiting, sitting outside in the hall on a perfectly rigid looking chair. When he saw her, he was quick to stand, closing the distance with a guarded look on his face that kept her prying eyes from reading underneath his facades.

“You’re up. Make it quick. We can’t waste all day telling the same story for the fifth time in a row to a boy who can barely keep his head on straight.”

There was something like a smirk at that.

“I won’t be long. I hope you can keep yourself occupied a while.”

Lunge was always hard to read, but she was almost sure that was meant to be humorous, a mild tease at her natural disposition - aggressively demanding, often seeking an instant answer. _Patience_ was never her strength, but in this case she had little choice.

“I’ll sit and reminisce on time lost.” Grim, bleak, her lips had curled up in a tired smirk of her own. Lunge didn’t say anything in response, heading into the room and closing the door, closing her out again.

Eva sat for a few moments, absorbing the silence. She had gone to Lunge. They were seeking the assistance of the local police, both for her protection and the efficient collection and analysis of data. But the looming dread still held her, cradled her gently - soft enough that she could carry herself without acknowledging it, but just enough of a bother to bring the atmosphere around her to an uncomfortable wariness. Even just watching the door had her hands clenching and unclenching, anxious energy driving deep into her bones. She didn’t like _not knowing_. For all she knew, Lunge and that boy were in talks to bar Eva from the case as a whole. It had been his idea to seek the police as a protective measure, in the first place. She had her doubts, but the wretched cynic was a loud voice in her mind.

She stood, treading softly until she stood with her back to the door. She controlled her breathing - slow, steady, silent. But even then, she couldn’t hear anything beyond the door, none of what they were saying. She released her breath in a sigh, pushing off from the door again-

“Won’t do you any good, eavesdropping like that. Sets a bad example.”

Eva’s eyes flicked up, seeking the origin of the calmly friendly voice. The man walking up to her was tall, portly, with a chubby face and a big nose. He was smiling, a dopey sort of expression that seemed almost childish. He gave a friendly wave, and Eva turned toward him, letting her hands rest in the pockets of her jacket.

“I’m not here to set examples. I’m here for results.”

The man chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. “Ain’t we all. But you gotta be more patient than that. My guys’re on it, and lemme tell ya Suk’s been all over this case since you called. It’s personal for him, too.” He gestured down the hall. “We got a few minutes. Want me to fix a coffee? I need one myself anyhow--oh.” He reached out, a broad and confident gesture. “Police Chief Filip Zeman. I’d say it was a pleasure if the circumstances were better, but it’s really more of a shame we had to meet like this.”

Eva eyed his hand with a narrowed gaze, waiting a moment before she took it for a more cautious shake. She wasn’t a fan of the smile or the attitude, but the company would keep her mind off the cynical thoughts circling her head.

“I guess it would be out of line to ask for something stronger.” She wasn’t particularly interested in a drink; she’d had a coffee with Lunge earlier, and while the _old_ Eva might accept a drink at this hour, the wiser and wearier Eva of now needed sharp senses. But, banter made men lower their guard with a woman; if she could win the favor of the chief of police, and not just some rookie kid, the case might go even smoother.

He just chuckled in response. “If you want a drink later, I’d be happy to treat you after hours. But it’s coffee or water for now.”

Eva’s lips curled up in a fictitious smirk and she nodded. “I’ll think about it. But in that case...water, for now.”

She followed him down the hall, the sound of her heels clicking along the tile floor. She couldn’t help but glance around - there wasn’t much to see, but in the front lobby there were two other officers - another older fellow with dark hair, and the other...she didn’t have time to catch any details before they’d walked out of visible range. Zeman gestured toward her, turning a corner. “Why don’t you take a seat in my office. There’s a reason I got me a french press for myself. Can’t drink the bitter water that comes outta that thing in the break room.”

He held the door open, Eva nodding her head as she slipped past him, taking a seat in the much more comfortable cushioned chair in front of the man’s desk, hands clasped in her lap, thumbs lightly tapping together. Zeman busied himself with the coffee, glancing over his shoulder at Eva with a compassionate sort of look.

“You holding up alright, miss Heinemann? You got this real cold sort of look on, had it all afternoon since ya walked in. But Tenma’s somebody who was important to ya. Can’t be easy.”

Police chief or not, Zeman was a stranger. An unknown man prying into a woman’s heart...she wasn’t so loose with her emotions to bear her heart to every gentleman that asked. She lifted a hand, inspecting her nails with a thin scowl.

“Getting a little bit personal, aren’t we?” Her voice was soft, almost a purr if not for the ice laced in her tone; a warning, for the ice around her heart was thin. Zeman seemed to get the hint, turning around with coffee for himself and water for Eva.

“Sorry, ain’t trying to pry. You don’t wanna share that’s fine. Been a helluva night for everyone. Me n’ Braun didn’t sleep at all and...well, you know how Suk’s doing.” He stirred sugar into his drink, Eva taking the cup to her lips. The water was cold, unexpectedly so, but it was a welcome chill down her throat. “He may’ve never been as close to Tenma as you, but the kid sure looked up to him. I think a lotta folks did. But Suk’s just a kid, it’s harder on him.”

Just a kid. As though it changed the value of what he felt. In the end it was just an excuse, if the police were useless and unhelpful. _He’s young, forgive him._ She was right to place her trust in Lunge over the police.

“I understand. But I hope you’ll do everything in your power to catch his killer, chief. In cooperation of Lunge, that is.”

The chief nodded, but she could feel a shift in the atmosphere - old wounds, perhaps, reopened. “It wasn’t right, what happened. He was one of our best, but the incident…not much we could do, with the public breathin’ down our backs like that. Didn’t know he was working privately now. Goes to show how much I bothered keepin’ up with the guy.”

Not old wounds, but regret. Eva could understand, she felt the same of Kenzo. It was always after their death that she wondered how much she could have done with them in life; how many smiles she missed, laughs she could have shared, stories she could have heard.

“I suppose this is your chance to reconnect.” she murmured, downing the rest of her water. “You should do it, while he’s still alive. You never know how short that chance really is.”

* * *

Waiting wasn’t long, like the chief had said. The rookie the private investigator came to find them a little while later - ten minutes, perhaps a bit more, but Eva hadn’t been specifically watching the clock to know. Zeman took them to a small conference room, usually used for briefings, but empty at the moment. He didn’t follow them in, though; it was Suk’s case, he was only there as support - and had other cases to review. Eva considered his offer earlier; drinks after work wasn’t particularly appealing - she didn’t much like the man, but she wouldn’t close that door entirely, either. As police chief he had the power and influence that would help them the most. Getting him on her side was still a priority. But that was for later.

“Thank you both for your cooperation. I’ll be handling the scene myself, to see what else we can learn. We secured the evidence last night, and the body has been removed, but both myself and Lunge may be able to learn more by going back to the area, and talking to locals. If anyone would’ve seen anything out of the ordinary it’s the people who live in the area. We might get a suspicious vehicle, some kind of lead.”

Lunge sat forward, one hand raised to tap the side of his head. “All data from the Eisler Memorial Hospital case is stored here. I’ve already begun compiling a mental file of pertinent information. Of course, Miss Heinemann, you yourself play a crucial role, as the killer’s next prospective target. The question becomes how he will approach the current situation, with you under the protection of the police. He may attempt to lure you into the open, if he’s clever. But if he’s desperate, he may...storm the castle, so to speak.”

“Was there anything important that you saw at the crime scene, that first night, beyond what you told me?”

The investigator remained silent for a moment, glancing down at his hands, the tapping starting up once again, that habit of his.

“The killer was a professional, and had been hiding prior to Tenma’s arrival. He knew the blind spots, where to best remain out of sight. It wasn’t his first time at Tenma’s flat; he’d been planning for a while. I can’t imagine him acting rashly, unless he believes that you have is name, Eva. How we act will need to be carefully measured. We cannot allow the media to disclose whether we do or don’t know the name. All statements made by the police must be kept to a minimum. And of course, miss Heinemann must not be unattended at any time should she leave the station. However that has already been worked through. We have an arrangement in place.”

Eva could feel herself relax. He had kept his word after all. But then, it was like he’d said the night before; Eva wouldn’t be told what to do. If she was refused, she would simply make her own escape and investigate the case herself.

There was a creak, all heads turning as Zeman opened the door behind them. He gave a sheepish sort of wave. “Sorry, you’ll have to scoot out for a bit here. We need to brief the guys on the case. Lunge, Heinemann, that’ll be both of you.”

There was a pause, Eva about to speak up when her phone rang from in her purse. She started, her heart skipping a beat before she caught herself, letting out a sigh. Eva’s eyes went between the two men, and she stood slowly. “Excuse me a moment. It’s probably one of my clients. I was expecting a call yesterday evening...”

She didn’t wait for their approval before she left, heading through the open door, flipping the phone open and holding it to her ear, walking down the hall toward the front lobby.

“Hello.”

There was a moment of silence, the person on the other end taking a moment to speak.

_**“Good afternoon, miss Heinemann. My condolences on the doctor’s demise.”** _

All forward motion stopped, Eva halting in her steps completely, gripped by a sudden chill. It wasn’t anyone she recognized, but they knew...who she was. They knew about Kenzo. The phone….his phone….

_**“Don’t go making any distressed faces, now, Eva. I can’t have anyone knowing that you’re enjoying a wonderful conversation with me. I want you to smile and say something simple, like we’re having a regular, boring, mundane conversation. I’m sure you’re used to that.”** _

Her head was spinning. _Normal, something normal._ _Laugh. Normal. Mundane._

She managed a small chuckle, uttering a quiet “ _Yes, that’s right._ ” as she shook her head.

_**“Very good. Now, don’t be too spooked. I can hear it in your voice. You’re very scared, but you don’t need to be. I’m only here with a warning, love. Are you ready to hear it?”** _

She tilted her head, forcing that plastic smile on her face. “Go on, then, tell me! I don’t have much time.”

A laugh, then applause.

_**“Oh, that was better. You’re doing a good job. I suppose I’d better get on with it then. It’s about this whole…situation we’ve found ourselves in. The doctor dug out some skeletons from my closet and snitched. Unfortunately for you.”** _

She didn’t dare speak, and instead just gave idle sounds of understanding to feign the conversation.

_**“I’d be cautious of the police, if I were you. They’re not the friends you think they are.”** _

She swallowed, but said nothing at first. She needed a moment to think...to clear her head before she dared say a word.

“Is that all? Sorry, I’m just running short on time...”

She really _was_ good at it, at faking, at pretending.

_**“You don’t sound the least bit worried now. But, I guess you’ve seen worse than a little idle threat could do. In the end, Eva, you have two choices. You can...do the mature thing, and face me without the help of your friends. You can turn yourself in and we can let this entire case blow over. You’ll be back with your father and that washed-up gangster of yours. Or, you can keep following the path you’re on now. But if you do, just know, you won’t be the only one who pays for it. Lunge has a...daughter, doesn’t he? With that wife who left him?”** _

She really didn’t have an answer for that. The click on the other end told her that any retort she may have had wouldn’t be heard anyway.

“Anyone important?”

Zeman’s voice beside her seemed intrigued, if concerned. Eva glanced up, eyes going between Zeman, Suk and Lunge. Once more, the porcelain mask was in place, and she just chuckled.

“It’s the call I was waiting for yesterday. I tried to tell her I was busy...”

No, what she’d said was _I’m running short on time._

They all were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELL THAT'S PART FOUR….including new characters. Amazing. I call it “Suks to be a Cop”.
> 
> WE all know who can't be trusted....but will the gang figure it out....and what will Eva do....
> 
> Tune in for the next episode.....


	5. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suspicions have risen thanks to Eva's phone call; is there really anyone she can trust on this case? The further they tread, the greater the danger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first part of this chapter happens during the brief period in the last chapter where Suk and Lunge are having their chat and Eva’s just brooding on her own. Felt like I should cover what happened there...even if it means rewinding a bit lol.
> 
> Not a lot happens in this one but it's still important for future setup! I actually have like the whole rest of this thing figured out finally. Heh.

A gray room, windows drawn, a simple table between the two men...but the scene was different from before. Young detective Suk sat tapping his pen, waiting to fill his report, _Lunge_ now the man to recount his testimony. The last time he had worn his badge, he had sat on the other side of the table, eyes boring into the souls of potential suspects, leering as accounts and stories were given that were, at best, half truths. Yet strangely, though the role was reversed, though he was now the man being questioned, the pressure in the atmosphere lay heavily not on him, but on the young detective.

Perhaps he held an advantage, once standing as the young man’s superior, or perhaps his presence was simply so sharp and biting. Regardless of reason, he would use any advantage to his benefit.

His recount to the detective had been much the same as miss Heinemann’s; as much, of course, as it could be. There were details - his own speculations and observations - that differed, but the two lined up as expected. He had recounted his story; it was now up to Suk, as the detective, to press for more - to ensure the data was accurate, to ensure no detail was missed.

It felt like waking up from a long, tireless dream; once more he was Detective Heinrich Lunge, and Jan Suk’s superior, as he always had been. That was where he belonged, where he thrived, not in the private sector, chasing what scraps the police left behind. There, he had been dying a slow death; starvation of any real cases left him empty. This was where he belonged.

“So you’re saying that she arrived at your house at that hour. She didn’t call you first.”

The doubtful narrowing of the detective’s eyes, the way his right thumb kept tapping the left, the directed stare and quirked frown...Suk felt there was more to it. Of course, it didn’t take much to discern what assumptions the young detective had made, what conclusion he had drawn. He was young, after all. Lunge’s fingers laced together in a deliberately slow gesture, and he leaned forward, a thin smirk on his lips as he leered down at the smaller man. Suk glanced away, and then back, clearly unnerved by the almost threatening gesture, though Lunge remained entirely calm.

“Does that surprise you, detective?” he asked, his tone even and relaxed. “You should be direct when you address me. What are your suspicions?”

The boy - for he was no more than that - swallowed, the tension in the room constricting tighter around him as he faced his once-superior. Oh, Lunge was not the manipulator miss Heinemann could be, but he was well enough aware of the cold intimidation at his disposal. It wasn’t so subtle, but turned against one who breathed such an anxious energy, it served well enough. Enough nervousness gave away tells, as the boy began to forget himself and his surroundings, losing the battle with frustration and that nervousness.

A flush on his cheeks….yes, as he’d thought. The young were often that way.

Lunge leaned back again, with only the slightest incline of his head as he peered over the table at the young man. “Keep your wits about you, detective. Even though you sit in that chair now, directing your inquiry, it doesn’t mean that the other party remains idle. I’ve determined your suspicions simply watching your behaviour as I sit here. And I must say I’m disappointed.”

A downward glance into his lap; the young detective had admitted defeat. Truly, a lost cause; but, in this case, that was to their advantage. He only needed the police to collect information, to perform the busywork while he used his time to more useful ends. An open book detective would reveal everything and a little more.

“It...it’s just...that time of night, and your past...past….history. And miss Heineman is…”

The flush only deepened. Young and naive indeed. Only a child would assume a man and a woman would meet for no other reason than some secret tryst. Still, Lunge took no offense; he was disappointed in the detective, that of the whole retelling of events his focus had zeroed in on such a childish notion, but he certainly wasn’t offended. There was no point.

“If you believe my relationship to miss Heinemann has ever been any less than professional,” he began, once again in that calm and monotonous voice, deliberately lowered just enough to make the young detective feel uncomfortable, “then perhaps you would do better to observe the facts. I have not seen miss Heinemann since the premature closure of the Eisler Memorial Hospital case, if you would recall. Unless, of course, you suspect us of childish secret meetings, your speculations have no basis.”

There was no answer, immediately; Suk simply gave a nod. The embarrassment seemed to be enough for him to press on.

“You mentioned that Tenma...that his phone was missing.”

“That’s correct.”

“And that the killer...was probably already inside Tenma’s home?”

A nod. Suk was comparing his notes with those recorded with miss Heinemann, his brow furrowing. Something that confused him, then?

“What I still don’t understand then is...why you think that Tenma… _knew_ he was going to die. If that’s the case...wouldn’t he have gone to the police? Or given the killer’s name? If he knew…”

Ah, of course. Suk was too inexperienced to draw such a conclusion on his own, but then, to his credit, there were very few who would see it that way. Lunge leaned forward again, though this time the gesture was more fluid, relaxed, not the deliberately aggressive motion from before.

“Doesn’t it strike you as odd, detective? He contacts Eva Heinemann, notifies her of the situation...of course, he downplays the danger, but that’s characteristic of the good doctor. However he neglects to tell her the killer’s name, instead planning to meet with her the next morning, early...earlier than most would hope to be awake. Let us assume for a moment that Tenma has no knowledge of what’s to come. In contacting miss Heinemann, what has he now done?”

There was a momentary pause - very short, Suk taking a moment to ponder, but he was thankfully quick to offer a response. “If...if he didn’t know, then...by telling Eva...I mean miss Heinemann...anything, it means making her aware of the danger...without giving her any closure that’s bound to make her suspicious…”

A partial conclusion. Of course, the young detective was missing a key detail, what made the situation seem wrong by its very nature. He coaxed on.

“What do we know about Tenma, as a person, detective? What _behaviour_ does he routinely exhibit? Consider the situation more carefully.”

Suk reached a hand up, pressing his fingers into his right temple and closing his eyes a moment. “He never really involved anyone unless he absolutely _had_ to. He was acting on his own most of the time.”

“Good. Now, in this case, he learns the name of Director Heinemann’s would-be killer. He contacts Eva Heinemann...but rather than divulging the name, he chooses to meet with her the next morning in a public place. What does that tell you?”

He could see it, with a small degree of satisfaction; Suk was starting to catch on, to understand. “He didn’t think it was safe to tell her right then...he wanted to wait. Asking to meet her in a public place the next morning….by the time of the call that would be around ten hours later...he wants to avoid drawing attention to where either of them live, but he didn’t want to wait that long, so...he knew that someone was coming after him. But then why didn’t he tell her the name, if he knew…?”

“Simple, detective. Doctor Tenma made a mistake.”

He allowed the words to sink in, watching Suk carefully. He looked unsettled, but alert; it was important that the young detective determine the rest for himself, so for now, Lunge remained silent, instead simply crossing one leg over the other, hands clasping in his lap while the gears of the younger detective's mind turned. He glanced down at his notes, nodding slowly as - hopefully - realization seemed to hit.

“He didn’t think they’d get to him that quickly.” A sickened look crossed Suk’s face, then, as he looked up to his former superior. “Then that...that means we’re dealing with someone close by...right? Maybe even living here...who knew where to find him.” He glanced back at his notes one last time, his face sheepish. “That’s why miss Heinemann was staying with you last night instead of coming to us for protection. You were...um...an unknown factor. Nobody knows she went to you...except anyone who was at the station last night.”

That was admittedly _more_ than Lunge expected the rookie detective to have determined on his own, but, then, with guidance from his new superior Zeman and other colleagues helping him along, he’d probably picked up more skills in Lunge’s absence. Lunge moved to stand, ignoring the quiet protest from the younger detective. He moved back, toward the window to stand, his words carrying over his shoulder.

“In taking the doctor’s phone, he knows that Eva was the last person that Tenma was in contact with. Most likely if miss Heinemann had chosen not to act on her curiosity, our murderer would have killed her next. Thankfully she hasn’t been home since receiving that phone call. It’s ironic, really.” He glanced backward over his shoulder, a bitter sort of smirk on his lips. “Tenma had underestimated both his pursuers and miss Heinemann, but had he not made that phone call, there is a high possibility that she would indeed have died last night.” 

The gravity of the situation seemed to strike the blonde then. Lunge took the opportunity granted, stepping toward the boy and reaching out a hand.

“Can I count on you to work with me on this case, detective?”

He was playing to the young man’s nostalgia - to their cases together that he clearly missed, and to the direness of miss Heinemann’s predicament. The young man gave a sharp nod, squaring his shoulders, standing taller, reaching out to shake awkwardly. “Of course! The police will cooperate with you on this case completely.”

It would suffice.

The door was opened once more, and all were reunited - though it was only brief; both he and miss Heinemann were being ushered out - a "police detectives briefing" was no place for them, as civilians on this case. Of course, so long as Suk honoured his word, that wouldn't be a problem. But, what struck him as odd, in those last few minutes....

There was something peculiar, when miss Heinemann excused herself to take a call.

The call itself had been entirely natural, with only a few moments of apparent tension - but such was ordinary in conversation with troublesome humans. What struck him as _odd_ was, instead, when she returned. When she was asked as to who she spoke...she said she was expecting a phone call from the night prior. 

No, that was incorrect. Even without the use of the hard-drive inside his head, the vast memory storage he compiled, the private investigator knew well enough she was lying. He had Agent Suk to thank for that, his report as spoken by Eva Heinemann. What she had said just moments ago -

_Just a quote for a set of cabinet doors for one of my clients. It’s the call I was waiting for yesterday._

...and what she had told the detective…what he had written down...

_At home checking emails. Expecting correspondence from client looking to remodel kitchen._

There was the possibility that miss Heinemann had told the detective only half of the truth - perhaps feeling that mentioning a phone call she expected was irrelevant - but putting himself in her position, and recalling the rest of her report to the detective...she had been quite plain about the course events of that day, bothering to mention that she expected correspondence from a client. That she left out the phone call became a curious thought. Without thinking, he found he could feel it, the familiar tapping of his fingers.

_Correspondence from an interested client…._

_A quote for a client, the call she was expecting…_

It was not a matter of why she was lying - not that either fool among the police detectives seemed to notice. It was instead a matter of who the woman felt couldn’t be trusted. It wasn’t a practiced lie; though no expert in the crafty art so well known by women of her kind, that she had confused her lies implied that something was not as she anticipated. She was caught off guard. 

Their work with the police was, for now, over with; the station would assign its men, and investigate as they saw fit. Suk had assured him that the police would cooperate; there would be a flow of information between the police and the private investigator, keeping both parties well informed. There was no more need for them to linger here. Not when there was information to be gleaned. And, as for miss Heinemann…

Well. He gained nothing in mere speculation.

“With the help of the police, we’ll be able to cover much more ground. I don’t believe I trust their competency, but Agent Suk will be more than happy to reveal what the police discovers for my own more thorough analysis. Doctor Tenma, and your father, will certainly see justice.”

Eva tsked as they reached the front lobby, Lunge quick to hold the door for her as they left. “I don’t want reassurances, inspector. I expect _results._ ”

Her sharpness had returned, but Lunge already knew there was a breach, something soft that had weakened. If she wouldn’t relinquish it freely, then he would have to seek it himself. But that was not for here; they were in the open, freely on the streets with eyes and ears that lurked around every unseen corner. Not here.

“It would be wise to investigate your own home, miss Heinemann. I have no doubt our killer made a stop in search of you. You should be safe in broad daylight, certainly accompanied by protection, and now that the newspapers have wind of our story as instructed, I suspect the media may flock to your house seeking a statement. In other words, any move made against you cannot be taken without care; too many spectators are bound to interfere. Our killer is too intelligent to make a scene.”

She seemed satisfied with his words, a distant look crossing her face as he led her back to his car. The drive was quietly comfortable; no radio to distract them, nor any conversation, both too occupied with what thoughts filled their minds. The calm only started to crack once Lunge changed their course, driving them to a rest stop near a gas station and pulling the car in to park.

He simply sat then, one hand on the steering wheel. Eva’s shoulders had tensed, clearly alert to the strangeness of the situation, but she covered wariness with anger, glowering at the man.

“Well? Why aren’t we driving?”

He kept his gaze forward at first, watching cars pass them by. They were far enough from the police station that they wouldn’t be suspect to anything; it would have seemed suspicious, if he had chosen to have this conversation in their parking lot when theoretically he should be making a move on his investigation.

“There is something I would like to ask you about, miss Heinemann.”

Her eyes narrowed, suspicions raising. A hand went to the strap of her purse, clenching defensively. “Make it quick, then. You’re wasting my time.”

Quick. He could be quick. Direct, to the point, he chose not to dance around the subject.

“I’m curious who it is that you don’t trust, that you chose to lie about your phone call.”

* * *

He knew.

Lunge knew….

She hadn’t given anything away, she’d been damn sure of it. So _how_ , then? Wild, dangerous thoughts took root; _he’s the one I shouldn’t trust._ What a fool she was, placing trust in even one man. All they did was betray her, and the ones that didn’t betray her were in the ground. She’d thought the inspector would be the latter, but if he knew…

_You know better than that, Eva Heinemann. Don't be such a fool._

The threat of her caller - and possibly Kenzo’s killer - had placed Lunge’s family at risk. It was possible to consider the threat was a bluff, and Lunge’s true intention was to lure her away from the safety of the police, but the very thought was almost laughable. That man was many things, but a clever manipulator was hardly one of them. There was more to it.

“And just what makes you think I was lying?” Her lips curled, brow raising as she regarded him from the side, one leg crossed casually over the other. _I have nothing to hide, I’m too calm and confident._ “It may surprise you to know that humans often have active social lives.” Sharp little prickling words that gave way to answers. That was all she wanted - if he refused to answer, then she would certainly have to rethink her trust in him. And, perhaps, consider an escape.

He looked at her that time, but her eyes were on his hand, not his face. Tapping fingers, accessing memories...his old habit would never die. “What you told Detective Suk during your questioning was that you were expecting correspondence from an interested client. A kitchen renovation, I presume. But when Police Chief Zeman asked you who you who had called, your response….” There was a pause, and then again those fingers were tapping, tapping out her words of the past, that perfect memory of his damning her lie. “You said it was a quote for cabinet doors, for one of your clients. That it was the call you were expecting. The two are certainly not the same...I would call it an easy slip, if I didn't know you better. It tells me that something unexpected happened during that call.”

His expression had grown serious, brows knit together as he captured Eva’s gaze. “So what I would like to know, miss Heinemann, is what happened during that phone call...and who it is that you don’t trust, that you chose to lie.”

He stopped, then, and all Eva could do was stare back into those dark eyes, eyes that seemed unlike the Lunge she was most familiar with. All men had their secret selves, pieces that were carefully guarded from public sight. This Lunge was not cold and calculating, nor smugly confident; instead he was quietly patient. No doubt he suspected something had gone wrong.

_You won’t be the only one who pays the consequences._

There was already so much blood in this case. Daring to tread nearer only spilled more. Eva could accept that, but she was a bitter, lonely woman. There was no one left in her world to miss her. Lunge’s family left him, but they were still dear. They couldn’t become victims, and neither could he. 

“I need to know if you trust me or not.”

There was that encouragement, words meant to inspire her to open up to him. But to trust...she wouldn’t have another man she learned to trust die. Eva closed her eyes, relaxing backward in the seat, shaking her head.

“Every man I’ve ever trusted has either turned his back on me or died. You’re asking a dangerous question, inspector.”

“Since I took this case, we both have been playing a dangerous game.”

He was accepting the danger to his life all too willingly, all too quickly. Eva’s eyes closed and she let out a slow breath. He was taking this risk, knowing the danger. It didn't have to involve him, and yet...

“I wish I knew."

An honest response. Her lips quirked to a faint sort of smile "But I suppose, as long as you’re under my contract, you won’t try anything. Not until you get paid. Is that right? Or...” Her expression shifted into a wry smirk. “until the case stops haunting you. The one you never solved.”

Shadows of recognition shrouded his face, pronouncing the dark circles under his eyes, perpetual marks that spoke well enough of his thoughts. It had ruined the both of them, in the end. Knowing what she did...no, she couldn't keep it quiet. He was directly involved. Her voice lowered.

“I was told the police can’t be trusted. And they know you’re on the case.” Eva looked down, staring fixedly at her lap. “They know about your daughter. They may know where she is. I'm not sure.”

For a man so stoic, even without looking, Eva could sense the electric jolt that fired the once-detective’s senses. That was his weakness, the gaping wound in his steely exterior. For now, he bore it well.

“I see. A warning.” The tapping of his fingers was sharper, more erratic. “An attempt to isolate you, perhaps. As no similar threat was made to me directly, I can only assume the purpose was to play to your guilt and vulnerability...in the hopes that you would turn me away.”

“They want me to turn myself in.”

He hummed, thinking for a moment as he started the car again. Clearly he was satisfied with her response, at least enough to proceed with the investigation.

“The police can’t be trusted….most likely a bluff, but if they’re already aware that I’m working on this case, then I would be inclined to believe a member of the police task force is working for our killer. You and the officers on duty both today and last night are the only individuals with that knowledge.”

Eva stared out the window, allowed herself to be swept away in the passing cars. “It’s not that boy.” she muttered, loud enough for the inspector to hear. “He sounds like a terrible liar.”

She had no proof to base those words on, but he carried himself like a child - innocent to the darker aspects of the world, still wearing the protective blanket of innocent youth. They could rule him out.

“Regardless of who it is, all officers involved on the case will have access to any police findings. While I doubt they would be so bold as to tamper with or destroy evidence, we can assume that anything the police discovers may be relayed to an unintended third party. We can have the police look into an internal investigation, but it would take time for any results. Suk will undoubtedly tell us of any police findings, but there’s no reason to return the favour. That was not what we agreed to.”

They were nearing Eva’s home. It was hard not to catch herself eyeing every car they passed by, leering, an aggressive energy taking over her. Too much excitement in too short a time had her nerves on fire. But, if nothing else, the calm of Lunge beside her kept a shred of ease about her - his voice, something to cling to, that kept her stable.

“You’re going to solve this case, aren’t you?”

Her voice came smoother, softer….tired, as she reached into her purse, easing the window down to light a smoke. The slow, black poison she inhaled soothed her.

“Your father’s case was the only one I never solved. I’d like to have a pristine record. And,” Lunge trailed off as they pulled up to her drive, the house large and strangely alien to Eva. As Lunge had said, there was a small crowd - not that she was bothered, of course, she had no qualms shoving the needy little gossipers aside. “Far too many have been murdered for this man to be allowed to go free any longer.”

* * *

“Are you sure it’s all right for you to talk about it?”

God, she was so…

Even in a dimly lit, dingy bar she was just so radiant.

Jan looked into his half emptied glass, bitter liquor reflecting a very tired looking man back at him. He swallowed thickly, taking another sip of his drink before turning to the blonde beauty beside him, only giving her a half-glance. He knew he was blushing; he didn’t want to look her right in the eye, for her to see how hopeless he really was..

“I mean, it’s not like you’re a suspect or anything…” There was no reason for him not to trust Anna. She was pretty directly involved with this case….back then, she had been the one to warn him about keeping quiet. She was the only person who seemed to care about _him._ And for a cop, who risked his life for everyone...that was a big deal.

She had a good heart. She was kind and honest...he could trust her.

The warm electric shock of her hand suddenly covering his had the young detective going rigid, eyes flicking to the side, blush only deepening. She was looking at him with those intense eyes, gentle enough that they almost made him want to cry for their beauty. 

“I know it’s a tough case, Detective. But just take your time. If you agonize over it, you’ll start going in circles. You won’t solve anything if you’re anxious.”

If only she knew that...that she wasn’t really _helping…_ like that, touching his hand, even just being this close...it was just making him _more_ anxious, with a frantic energy that simultaneously begged him to kiss her and get as far away as possible.

But she was right. He needed to focus. Maybe talking about it would help. He finished off his glass, setting it down and staring at the wood grain of the counter, eyes tracing patterns that weren’t really there. 

“I just...I never thought it’d be Tenma. He always seemed so capable, and he was cleared of his charges so….” Jan felt his chest grow tight, the dull sorrow and shock still there, if only weakly. “This case was supposed to be over. But Tenma shows up….says he knows the real killer...and then he winds up dead. And now that we’re on the case….who’s going to be next...y’know?”

He sounded so miserable. But it was true...they were just waiting, weren’t they? If even Tenma could be killed...then a cop….

“It just means you have to be that much more careful. Is there anyone on the team you know for _sure_ you can trust?”

That deep concern in her voice was calming, as always, stabilising the fears that would otherwise have built in his bones. Jan took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“I know I can trust Lunge….he may have been disgraced when he left the force...but if there’s anyone I know I can trust, it’s him. And Zeman….the two of them...they taught me everything I know. And after my mother passed...Zeman was really there for me in a way no one else was. It sort of felt like I had a father again….which is probably really stupid...I mean, we’re coworkers, you know…”

There he went again, sounding like a broken, sappy idiot. He shook his head, scrunching his eyes shut for a moment. “But that’s not important! What matters is they’re people I can trust.”

"Lunge...is he back on the force? I thought you said he was removed."

Right....she wouldn't know. Jan rubbed idly at his neck. "It's...no he's not...but....E...he was hired privately by someone." He only very barely kept Eva's name out of his comment - even if Anna was trustworthy, he probably...should keep that to himself. She was a target after all.

"Well, I'm glad to hear things are looking up for him. And his family...they're well, I hope?"

It was really sweet of her to care so much. But...she had it wrong. He really wasn't doing well, not at all. Jan looked down. "I mean, I don't know. His daughter is living with her boyfriend and all and his w...well anyway, that's not really my business..." 

Maybe he shouldn't have said any of that at all...

“So have you found anything? Anything that could lead you to the killer?”

Jan glanced from Anna to the rest of the bar - there wasn’t really anyone around, no one to listen in, but he still kept his voice low anyways. “Between what a witness and...and Lunge had to say...and what we found at Tenma’s house...we don’t have a lot to go on to point it toward anyone, but Lunge said it might be someone who’s been scoping out Tenma for a while...not just some hired gun shooting him down. We did some fieldwork and have some unusual activity that neighbours noticed...we have someone checking through what we've got...matching times...to see if there's anything that could match. And...obviously we’ve reopened files we’d put on hold when the Eisler case was closed….but outside of that….we’re really starting fresh here. So….”

“I believe in you.”

There was that flush in his cheeks again. Jan looked down, smiling softly as he did his best to swallow the bubbling affection in his throat. He couldn’t get sappy right now, as much as he wanted to.

“Thank you.”

Well, good. He managed to say that at least. Jan took a deep breath, clasping his hands in front of himself, finally turning to fully face the beautiful girl, to look her in the eye. Those eyes that were so...that he could just get lost in…

“Listen….Anna?”

Another deep breath. She was looking right at him now.

“If you see anything….can you….could you give this number a call? Um…”

Jan blinked. “This number”.....as if to imply he’d given her anything. His ears pinkened and he cleared his throat. “Or rather, I’ll write it down...and you can….if you think….”

“Of course. It’s fine, Detective, just stay calm….”

As soon as she told him to, he could feel the anxiousness leave. All because she asked him to stay calm….the amount of power she had in her voice alone…she was amazing.

“You’re one of a very few people I feel I can trust. I don’t know….I hope you don’t find anything...I really don’t want you getting involved...but if you do….please give me a call. It could mean saving lives.”

He passed her a piece of paper from a thin notebook - it was usually used for detective work, so he could jot down anything important, but he could sacrifice a page to give Anna his number. 

“It’s sweet of you to care…but please, you should be careful, too, Jan.”

Just……..hearing her say his name...just his _name…_

“Y…..yeah. I’ll try.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEH HEH SHIP TEASE....and also hopeless and naive Suk. Why's he so dumb.
> 
> ANYWAY rather than actually write about the Information Collecting Montage I might just skip to actual reviewing just so there's some more forward motion on this fic and it isn't so _slow_ lmao. I don't mean for this thing to move at a snail pace I just get caught up in singular interactions...whoops


	6. Dread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clues are starting to fall into place. Things are almost going Eva’s way...almost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOPS this took a while to get out. Wound up being harder to get this chapter set up properly than I thought.

Reporters from every news outlet had encircled the Heinemann estate like waiting vultures. Hungry for words, no doubt they assumed the distraught woman, twice struck with tragedy, had holed herself away in her home to weep. The approach of the inspector’s car was evidently a surprise, when it was the very miss Heinemann to step out from the passenger side, escorted by Lunge himself. With her head high, and Lunge at her side with those steely eyes, the vermin didn’t dare to ask her for scraps of detail as she made her way to her home; she alone perhaps would be flocked, but the combined intimidating presence that the former inspector and she herself carried was enough to cow the vicious little buzzards and their intrusive ways.

“It looks like the police have yet to investigate your home. I imagine they’re quite busy at the crime scene, and collecting statements.” There was a short pause as Eva opened the door. “I don’t imagine he will have left much trace of his presence. You would know better than myself if anything is out of place.”

She would know…

The house seemed alien to her, strange as she pushed the heavy wood door open. She remembered this feeling - once before, when her father was murdered. And now, again...it was as though her home rejected her, the ominous feeling in the air suffocating her. She stepped into the foyer, Lunge closing the door behind them. Three pairs of her shoes sat neatly in the corner, underneath a bench. There were cute beige pillows on the bench, giving even the front entrance a little life and colour. There was a light veil of dust that sprinkled on parts of the floor, where it hadn’t been swept in the last two days. On the banisters, too. 

Eva traced her hand along the dark red wood, noting pricks and chips where the paint was starting to come off. It all looked the same as it should, even with the lonely echoes of her heels against the wood. Further inside, the grandeur of the main foyer….the hall...the kitchen...the dining room...it looked as it should, but felt colder somehow. She looked down, at nothing in particular, absorbing that same hollow atmosphere.

“I’ve never felt such a lonely home.”

Though she didn’t see it, she could almost feel a change in Lunge - the sharpness of his mind catching on something she had said...no doubt as he keyed important details into his mental hard drive. Though just what he found, she couldn’t be sure.

“I would have to agree. For such a finely decorated home, there _should_ be a welcoming and inspiring atmosphere. But it feels colder than the last time I was here.”

An emptiness that even Lunge could feel. How hollow a thought that was.

“You’re sure that nothing’s out of place, miss Heinemann. That everything is as it should be.”

“On this level, at least.”

There it was again, the jerky movements of his fingers - data, data, data. It was just his way. Didn’t do much good to Eva, though, watching from the outside. She had no idea what was going on inside his head, what he was picking up on that she wasn’t. She tossed her hair, looking down on him from a few steps above, finding solace in the false superiority it gave her.

“If it means something to you, I want to know.” She turned on the stairs, though didn’t head back down just yet, just stood and stared with cutting eyes. “I want to know what you’re thinking.”

The icy detective met her gaze only for a moment, before conceding with a lowered head and a soft smirk. “I’m sorry. I’m not used to working in collaboration with anyone. But what I was thinking…” 

He started up the stairs, meeting Eva on the first landing, each step taken with slow confidence. “That it feels the same. Just like before. Devoid of any feeling, as though no single soul passed by. Everything is immaculate, as though presence was erased. An emptiness so deep it becomes a presence of its own.” He looked down over the banister, down towards the floor below. “I’m only more sure now that your home had a visitor. But we should check upstairs, to be sure. I have a particular feeling that there may be something to be found.”

He gestured up the stairs, though allowed Eva to take the lead - it was, after all, her own home. She stepped more purposefully, ascending the remaining stairs and traversing the hall, stopping first in her bedroom at the far end. She could have looked door by door starting with the nearest to the staircase, but she felt urged - _her_ room called to her.

For a moment, she stood in the doorway, hand resting on the light switch, though it wasn’t necessary at this time of day. She could see quite clearly what it was that had cursed her home, marked across the furthest wall.

She didn’t turn when she heard footsteps, preferring not to see the former inspector’s response - though looking at his face was hardly necessary. The dread in the air was already thick.

_**The angel of death strikes twice for those who refuse his call.** _

Crossing into her room, Eva reached out, fingers tracing the black scrawl painted onto her wall with a chuckle. “He wasn't very happy that I was gone.” She scratched at the paint with a nail, bringing it back to inspect. “He ruined my wall.”

Lunge had entered now too, looking about the room with that same calculating atmosphere. “There’s not much point in telling you ‘you’re next’ in such flowery words.” He had both hands clasped behind his back now, regarding the message with a look that was difficult to read, even for Eva. “Death strikes twice...not a warning for you, but perhaps someone else. Your would-be allies. So I suppose it’s a warning for me.”

Despite the words, that man….that man was _smiling,_ an almost devilish grin. The danger wouldn’t dissuade him - it seemed to Eva that instead he was invigorated, more deeply intrigued by the message. More of the old Lunge, the sharper man that refused to back down.

Eva turned her head, glancing across the room to the window, to where a majority of the news reporters had dispersed, leaving the streets open and empty. She didn’t want to be here any longer than necessary; they _found_ their clue, what their elusive enemy thought was so important as to deface her room...but the sooner she could leave, the better. It felt unclean. The same bastard that murdered her father….and now, Kenzo….and he had come inside her home, inside her _room._

A part of her wanted to burn it. Sear away the memories, turn them to ash and leave the relics of what had been warm memories to crumble to dust. There was nothing sacred here, nothing that felt safe. Even if the killer was caught, she couldn’t return here. The scrawl on her wall could be painted over...could be removed, but the stain was there, and that stain had eyes. Even now it felt like he was watching her, through those warning words. Watching the both of them.

Eva gripped her arm with a tensed hand, looking away abruptly. “We need to leave.”

There was no question in her tone, and she wouldn’t accept any argument. She turned fully, stalking back into the hall, using her hair to shield her face. Her emotions were clear, but somehow it felt as though if Lunge couldn’t see her face, she could at least retain some semblance of dignity in this moment. Her steps were taken carefully, slowly, calculated. 

“Miss Heinemann.”

She froze at the stairway, hand resting on the banister, though she didn’t turn around. The slow and quiet sound of footsteps alerted her to the approach of the inspector. She gave a tilt of her head to acknowledge him, but little else - no sound, no turn toward him.

“You said you left shortly after you received the call from doctor Tenma. Is that correct?”

Running through the facts again...of course he was. Eva shrugged one shoulder, nodding in response - there was no need to vocalize what was already known. She heard him hum, a soft, thoughtful noise that meant a mind at work. She resisted the urge to turn, to try to decipher what he was thinking just then. 

“There is the possibility that the murder of doctor Tenma and the invasion of your home were simultaneous occurrences. As I’ve said, there is no atmosphere to absorb, nothing to indicate that anything was ever out of the ordinary in the Heinemann household. It's almost perfect, almost the same as the previous crime scenes. But there’s one thing that’s been puzzling me.”

The cold reason in his voice helped to chase the feeling of being watched, the poisonous feeling in her chest melting away just enough that she felt a little more composed, enough to turn her face toward the man as she descended down the stairs. 

“And what would that be?”

Lunge followed slowly, coolly, hands rested in the pockets of his suit jacket, his eyes downward. “They feel different. The crime scene, Tenma’s murder...and here, with little more than a warning. Both had the same feeling of emptiness. Almost tranquil, if not for the macabre scene. Nothing was left behind in the murder of Tenma, but when you weren’t found, a message was left...a threat. Why be so careful, leave no trace of one’s presence, only to declare oneself so boldly? A warning for me...to goad me?”

They were questions that Eva couldn’t answer. She didn’t have that same, eerie ability of Lunge - to place herself in the mind of another, to understand their motives. The questions only made it seem uglier - the prospect that there could have been order to the crime, possibly two men involved, planning their every moves. The more questions that were posed, the more in the dark she felt; he was doing his job, and she knew that, but there was only so much she could take in a moment. Eva set her jaw, squaring her shoulders. “I believe I hired you to answer questions, not ask them.”

There was a chuckle from Lunge as he stepped down onto the landing beside her, looking out toward the brightness of the afternoon. “That may be true, but these are hardly simple mysteries. What you have given me is a multi-faceted puzzle; each aspect to the murder opens new questions, and the more that are asked and answered, the closer I am to seeing the whole picture. To solve our case, we need to identify all of our unknowns.”

If it weren’t so cold, Eva would almost call his words a form of poetry. 

“You should use this time to your advantage. Your home is no longer a safe place; if there’s anything you expect you will need in the foreseeable future, you should take it now.”

Eva turned with a detached sort of look, then laughed - more to herself than the inspector, more _at_ herself than in any humorous capacity. She could feel Lunge watching her as she retreated past the kitchen and to the pantry around the corner, to two tall glass doors. She returned with only one item, an expensive bottle of whiskey, held in hand, and a bitter smirk on her face.

“I paid good money for this, and I’ll have it. The rest can burn for all I care.”

Lunge didn’t speak, but Eva didn’t care, right then. For a selfish moment she wanted only to be comforted by her bitterness, but the moment was gone as quickly as it came. They had what they came for. In the doorway, Eva glanced over her shoulder, that smirk still present, even inviting.

“If the police can’t be trusted, and even my own home isn’t safe...I suppose I’ll be extending my stay with you. Or will that be a problem, _inspector_?”

She watched him then, watched the subtle quirk of his brow. It was a small gesture, but that alone was a reaction from Lunge, so stoic and unresponsive. Though, she doubted she would get much more than that; he wasn’t the flustered sort, he wouldn’t embarrass so easily. Not like that police boy.

“No, not at all. In fact that works to our benefit. So long as we are both targets, it’s easier to keep watch for our would be killers when both of us are in one place. And I suppose it would make the target more appealing. You and I in one place...a single well-executed assassination would have us both. But we can use that to our own advantage.” There was a pause, a shift in the energy as Lunge regarded her. “Though I wouldn’t place your own life at risk, of course.”

So quick to throw his life on the line...and Eva...it was deadly to follow his path. Lunge, who was already neck deep in the game, walking toward a fire armed only with oil. If she went on this path, she would be swallowed by the same fire.

But burning alive was better than rotting and letting her heart shrivel and crack. She was already cursed, the blood spilled around her soaking her to the bone. Why not, then? Why not take the plunge...any less would be an insult. For Kenzo, for her father, for Martin...she was already dying. At least with this, if she died, it would be for revenge. She chuckled in response, closing her eyes for a moment, then meeting his gaze with one equally sharp.

“I believe I’ll make that call, inspector. What I do with my life is for me to decide. If you’re going to hell to kill a monster, then I’ll be going with you. I know that’s where I’m headed anyway. I might as well make it worth something.” There was a look from him then, but Eva didn’t give him a chance to respond, not right away. 

“I’ve never known a man to be so bold. Is this really all you have to live for, that you would dangle your own life as bait?”

Lunge pushed the door open silently, leading her back toward his car. There was that stoicism again, stoicism with a fracture that only Eva knew. Imperfect, weakened.

“Seeking justice knows no bounds. If I’m not willing to risk my life, then I have no business chasing murderers.” 

Words were left in the air for both of them to consider. Each was broken and foolish in some way, but that only defined their actions. They each had their reasons to play such high stakes and neither mind would be swayed. They made their way back to the car, Eva taking only a moment to pause - to glance back, to look at that _place_ that now stood only as a lonely marker in a darker place of her past, a thing to be discarded to begin again. Home was not a place, but a feeling, and that had left a long time ago.

"Have you called your daughter?"

The question came out of the blue - but, in truth, with the threats laid and the morbidity of their situation, she had to wonder if her pursuers truly meant what they had said. If she was safe, then perhaps Lunge's mental state would remain stable.

"Indeed. The father of my grandson was the one to answer. She was attending a ladies' night that evening. She was not alone. I trust her to take care of herself."

Eva nodded, observing the man, watching his eyes. Steady, as steady as his voice. For now there was no danger.

“So I suppose the question now is…”

Vivid eyes caught Lunge’s as he opened the door for her, Eva sliding in comfortably. “Will you be cooking, or are we having dinner out tonight? In the latter case, I’ll be the one to decide. I won’t eat cheap.”

The air was silent as Lunge once more slipped in beside her, pulling his seatbelt and turning the keys, Eva comfortably crossing her legs over the dash - an action that got her a quirked eyebrow, but little more. That was a shame, she’d been hoping for more of a reaction. 

“Then I suppose I’d better be sure I have my wallet.”

* * *

Suk felt like he had a renewed purpose.

It was never as though he didn’t _matter_ at the station - people listened to and appreciated him, now certainly more so. Ever since Tenma’s case had come to his attention years ago, he was given a lot more respect, even by veterans like Braun. He and Zeman were both mentors for him even now, but he could tell that they trusted his judgement more than before. The fact Zeman put him in charge of this case was really all the proof of that. But then again...it could be more just that he felt Suk would want this one - as a...a sort of _closure_. 

He’d rather believe it was trust and not pity that landed him the case. They were compiling information from the last day’s investigation - testimonies from people in the neighbourhood, anyone who saw suspicious activity near Tenma's home around the time of the murder. And then of course there was Lunge...it really did feel a lot like before...honestly, he was surprised he hadn’t been called up by Grimmer yet. Then again he didn’t know that Suk was involved in the case. But still...it’d be just like old times then.

...He _did_ have to call Grimmer, to...tell him. He'd want to know that Tenma....

“Hey, Suk. Looking a little glum. Everything all right?”

He didn’t know what he was expecting this morning, but a coffee dropped onto his desk and a sudden hand on his shoulder hadn’t been any of what he was ready for, resulting in an unfortunate and unflattering yelp from the younger detective. 

Zeman stepped back with a laugh, raising both hands defensively. “Yikes! Lost in thought I see. Something on your mind, then?”

Suk made a face, rubbing his temples. “Just...I’m just trying to piece as much as I can together. It’s not like any crime scene I’ve dealt with before, there was nothing left behind and the way it happened so suddenly...this guy was gone for _years,_ and just resurfaces now? I don’t know, it’s just...I guess I’m still a little shaken up is all.”

Shaken up and a little ashamed.

When police got on the scene, he’d had to ask his colleagues to go on ahead - didn’t want to be there when the body was covered and taken away. Didn’t think he could handle it. He was better now than he used to be...he could deal with looking at corpses. But Tenma was someone who...someone who _mattered_ to the detective. They were never really close or anything, but he was someone to admire. When a good person like that just dies...that sort of thing was hard for him.

So maybe he wasn’t that much better after all…

“Well, don’t worry about it too much. You did good yesterday. We got a lot of good statements because of all your hard work. Some got some important stuff to say. We just need to compare it all and piece together the story, and then when you meet Lunge we can see what he’s got on his end. Knowing that guy he probably ain’t slept all night.”

That wasn’t necessarily _comforting_ to hear...though Zeman seemed to pick up on it, turning the conversation away.

“How’d it go with Anna, by the way?”

….Of course turning the conversation to _Anna_ only flustered the detective, because he hadn’t told _anyone_ that they’d had drinks. How did Zeman know? Was he blushing when he came in? He looked down a little sheepishly.

“I guess it’s just that obvious with me.”

Another chuckle from Zeman. Suk nodded.

“Well it was...I mean, we didn’t _do_ anything, just had drinks…”

He chose to leave out the fact that he’d indirectly asked her for help on the case. Not that he wanted to keep that secret, but Zeman probably wouldn’t approve, knowing that the detective went and started running his mouth about a case to someone who really shouldn’t know. But Anna was someone he trusted, and she genuinely cared about people.

“Well you’re not gonna get anywhere with her if you just hang out and talk. You know that right? When’re you gonna start putting on the moves? If you’re not careful you’ll just wind up her friend. Hard to get outta that once you’re there.”

Suk looked up from his coffee and narrowed his eyes, aware of the slight flush on his face. “...If you wouldn’t mind sir...I’d rather we stay on task. It’s just…” He looked down. “This doesn’t really feel appropriate.”

Zeman gave him a sympathetic look, clapping his shoulder again before he headed off to his own office. “Just be careful not to stress yourself out. You gotta take a break here and there, you know? Take it easy or else you’ll miss something.”

It made sense when Zeman said it like that, but still...anything involving Anna would be way too distracting for him to focus. He had a compilation of everything they’d found out the night before. He just needed to condense it all into a sensible story before his meeting with Lunge at...that...cafe, what was it...the...something? ..He had it written down, it was fine. And….well….would miss Heinemann be with him too? She wasn’t technically supposed to be in on the case...that wasn’t how police business worked. But if she was just going to find out from Lunge anyway...it was probably _safer_ to be open with her. She wasn’t exactly the type of person to take refusal well...

Suk just hoped they didn't gang up on him.

* * *

There was one thing that Lunge was certain of. One thing that had to be fact. There was more to the case than a single murderer; rather it was more likely that there were at least two individuals involved. There was a different atmosphere to the two scenes - the Heinemann household and the late Doctor Tenma’s apartment. Both felt vacant, but there was a distinct difference in the perceived tone. 

Of course, without solid evidence, he couldn’t know for sure. It was all a hunch. Comparing his own findings at the scene of the crime and miss Heinemann’s home against the evidence found by the police would give him all the confirmation he needed. Or not...if he was incorrect. He wasn’t so proud as to assume himself correct as he had in the past. His premature judgement of Tenma in the past had allowed him to learn.

Not much time was wasted - not by himself, nor by miss Heinemann getting ready in the morning; though she did take an amount of time to make herself presentable in public. He respected her need to appear formidable, and besides that, there was little they could do that morning but wait until their meeting with Suk. He would admit to a slight feeling of excitement, a bit of a thrill...but not a hopeful one. He imagined that the police had found at least a little evidence that could help further his case, but he dared not raise his standards too high.

When miss Heinemann came downstairs, finally ready, he gave her a quick once-over from the dining table. She looked better rested this night than the last, with a little more fire to her than before.

“I’ve arranged to meet with Agent Suk at a cafe for noon. I presume The Regal is suitable to your tastes?” He glanced at his watch, eyeing the time. “I picked our venue with you in mind.”

She took a seat opposite Lunge, slowly crossing one leg over the other, an equally slow smirk lighting her features. “The _Regal._ My, my. Do you plan to intimidate the boy into handing over information? Or is it a display of your own superiority?”

He couldn’t tell if her tone was meant to be sarcastic or not, but the poisonous snickering that followed answered it for him. There was no objection to the venue, no complaint that it was classless or dull - so he supposed he had made a suitable call.

His momentary victory disappeared, however, as he watched the woman fish for a cigarette, pulling her lighter from her purse. He certainly wouldn’t have his home clogged with the stench of smoke. Lunge gave a firm shake of his head, icy eyes catching her own. There was a mischief there, as though she was well aware of what he felt, but wanted to see just how he would challenge her.

“You may smoke, miss Heinemann, but not inside my house.”

He watched her light it regardless, taking a drag from her cigarette with that same childish amusement, eyes narrowing smugly. “And if I refuse, will you kick me out? I suppose I could go off on my own, if it’s too much trouble for you. But then…” There was that deadly amusement, a flirtation with danger that challenged him yet again. “you don’t know what might happen to me. He could come for me when I’m alone. So is that a risk you’re willing to take?”

She leaned in when she said it, keeping those burning eyes on his colder ones. Lunge had no answer - in the end, he was asking only for a courtesy; he certainly didn’t trust her to take care of herself in the current circumstances. Not with the possibility of multiple perpetrators interested in ending her life. In the end, he closed his eyes and turned away, huffing out a breath in amusement.

“Very well, then. I suppose I must concede to you this time. But I’ll bear it in mind the next time you ask a favour of me.”

There was a chuckle from Eva - and then the faint sound of rustling, and then the clicking of shoes. Lunge opened his eyes, brows raising in surprise, watching as she headed to the door, with only the briefest look over her shoulder to smirk at Lunge.

“I’ll be on the front porch. You can join me, if you like.”

It seemed that she had only wanted the taste of victory. He certainly didn’t claim to understand the workings of her mind, but was glad of her choice. The porch was perfectly suitable, and he could easily see her through the window. He wanted to finish his coffee first, but he supposed he could do that in the freshness of morning air...even sullied with a little smoke.

They could enjoy a calm morning before meeting Suk to compare their notes.

* * *

The Regal was nothing if not a high-end establishment; its popularity lay with a wealthier clientele, the sort of place that miss Heinemann would enjoy. It was also strategically situated just on the corner of an intersection between two busy roads, with a front-facing patio set that easily allowed Lunge to keep an eye on incoming traffic and passers-by. 

They sat beneath a lovely blue umbrella, the table itself made of a light shade of wood...no. Venir. The menus set before them were elaborate, though had deceptively few options for a lunch meal; the design was made to be appealing, but there wasn’t much for an adventurous palate to enjoy. Not that that was a bother.

It took Suk another ten minutes - ten _after_ the allotted five extra minutes of buffer time he had allowed on their “noon” meeting - to finally arrive. Lunge fixed him with a nonplussed expression as he took his seat, sure to make the young cop squirm just a little before averting his gaze.

“Didn’t mean to keep you waiting. I just needed some time to compile everything and ran a little later than expected.”

He looked between the two, as if seeking some sort of reaffirmation that it was fine, but none came; instead there was a sense of urgency, Lunge very nearly leering at the young man. Suk dropped his gaze and cleared his throat, lifting a black folder onto the table and opening it to the first page.

“This is a compilation of everything we have so far. It’s not a lot, but we’ve narrowed down a few things...we have a definite time, when the crime occurred, and from witness accounts we know what the guy was driving. We’re on the lookout but I don’t know how long it’ll take for us to find him. I’ll piece together as much as I know…”

There was a patient silence as Suk shuffled his papers, laying them flat, and pushing them toward Lunge to read over. ”At around a quarter past ten last night, folks said they saw a car no one recognized leaving Tenma’s flat. Nobody really thought much of it, maybe he was seeing someone. Since it was dark no one got a clear shot of who was driving. We asked around, and it seems like that car first appeared around two hours before.”

“And yet no one saw who got out of the car.”

Miss Heinemann’s voice was sharp and accusatory, an insult to the competence of the police - or perhaps the testimonials of would-be witnesses. Suk cleared his throat, shaking his head.

“...No. Well, I mean, you should know that miss Heinemann...with where he lives, the nearest immediate neighbour wouldn’t see unless they were right outside his drive….ah….”

He faltered under her glare, swallowing thickly and looking down. “...As I was saying. The car we suspect to be our murderer's vehicle was spotted nearly two hours before, and...the time of Tenma’s death was determined to be five minutes after the hour. So there was a bit of time between...that, and when he left. From the analysis it didn’t look like Tenma even put up a fight. He was sh...ot point blank and...it was definitely a professional...there were two bullet wounds, both to the heart so...it was quick…we're analysing the bullets, so...”

The police detective had gone pale, but to his credit he had managed to relay the information without his voice cracking. Lunge’s fingers were drumming on the table, perhaps cold of him when he could see, from the corner of his eye, as miss Heinemann fished into her purse for another cigarette. Better that than a drink, at this hour. He wasn't here to sympathize, not now. There was important business to be addressed.

“And where is the last that our would-be killer was seen? I presume you determined that, at least?”

Suk seemed glad to move on from the topic of the doctor himself, giving a short nod. “The second page. Again...no one was particularly looking out for it...but it was heading west on the main roads before it got lost in traffic.”

In a sleepless city, it was forgivable to have lost track on the highway. Lunge drummed his fingers again, looking down at the accumulated data.

“I would like to keep a copy of this if you wouldn’t mind. There are some questions I’d like answered for myself. I have a theory that requires testing. Unless, of course, your police think they can handle it.”

Suk leaned forward, his eyes shifting over his shoulder briefly. “And what would that be? Maybe I can help. What is it that you need?”

Lunge tossed the folder back down onto the table for a moment, steepling his fingers.

“Miss Heinemann and I thought it might be pertinent to investigate her own household. As doctor Tenma’s phone was stolen, we can assume the killer intended to have her murdered that same night. Of course, he would have been rudely awakened to find that miss Heinemann has not been home since. What we found was a message. What I’m thinking….” He inclined his head, looking at both of his companions then. “What it is that I find curious...is the vastly different tone of both homes. I wonder if our killer may have an accomplice with direct involvement. We already know he isn’t working alone.”

That seemed to catch the young detective off guard, his brows furrowing in confusion as he looked between the inspector and miss Heinemann. When no further information was volunteered, he clasped his hands together and sat a little straighter, eyeing Lunge.

“If you learned something that I don’t know about...don’t you think you should tell me? If you’re sitting on evidence or information that could help in the case…”

To divulge something as scandalous as to state that the _police_ could be involved - or, at least, an individual on the force - to one as loose-lipped as Suk would prove disastrous; however a modified truth could allow the young cop to serve as inside eyes, assuming his deductive skills had improved at all. Lunge sat back again, glancing to miss Heinemann.

“A threat was issued to my client. A warning...that individuals close to her cannot be trusted. A warning that included the safety of my family - possibly a bluff, or perhaps proof that they truly are a threat. Do with that information what you will, but detective…”

The look he fixed Suk with was deadly cold then, and he saw the younger man pale ever so slightly. “I assume you understand the implications. You must tell no one.”

A slow nod was his only response, but it was clear enough. He could only hope that Suk would remain alert, and perhaps determine who their mole was from within.

“...I’ll have a photocopy for you when I get back to the office. I’ll issue a report to Zeman about the rest, but I’ll leave out the phone call. It’s….you have a theory. I won't tell him any more detail. Is that sufficient?”

Lunge gave a nod, watching as the younger man, still uneasy, relaxed just a little. “Then I guess I should get going. And...I’ll send you a reference to the car model and as much of the license plate as people could remember. We got some conflicting answers though so there might be more work ahead yet.”

* * *

The afternoon and evening were spent in equal part attempting to track whether or not their mystery vehicle had ever appeared in miss Heinemann’s home, and speaking with friends of Tenma, to see if there had been any communication from him before the bizarre call placed to miss Heinemann. 

The woman had a natural gift for charming the words out of potential witnesses. There was no need for intimidation or badges; a woman, wounded and sorrowful, seeking the killer of her lover brought words freely forward from sympathetic gentlemen and empathizing ladies. No matter that her quivering lip was a lie, she bore those false emotions well. It was only when the pair had returned to Lunge’s home that he dared address their findings. The one location that was definitively 'safe', with no ears or eyes to catch whispers of their conversation.

He opened the door for miss Heinemann, taking her coat and hanging it up in the closet. She invited herself into the living room, flicking on the dull light and seating herself comfortably in one of the chairs, waiting for Lunge to join her. He sat slowly, crossing one leg over the other with a smirk as he looked her over.

“You have quite a talent for the theatrical.”

Miss Heinemann hummed, twirling a lock of hair around her fingers. “Men see a woman like me as particularly vulnerable. It’s pathetic. I thought I’d use it to my advantage.” She smirked in response, turning her face away. “Anything to watch them stumble over themselves for my sake.”

Though perhaps her motives were driven by personal pettiness, it had worked to their advantage. Lunge gave a short nod, leaning forward, eyes going to the window, to the slowly lowering sun, the orange-red sky.

“Thanks to your fine efforts, and the help of the police, we can be absolutely certain of one thing.” His smirk seemed to deepen, a slight thrill down his spine at the realization he had been correct. “The vehicle spotted at Tenma’s home never made an appearance. However, two cabs were spotted on the street behind your home fifteen and twenty minutes after ten. Another at eleven on the hour. The timing lines up with Tenma’s murder...and with that information, we can be almost certain that the individual to visit your home, and the one to visit Tenma, could not be the same. And of course, the report...”

Lunge had left it in his study - open, along with all reports from the old Tenma case, pages that at one time drove him mad but now served a positive purpose. "Suk's team was surprisingly thorough. We're looking at the same weapon of choice as what was used in the Eisler Memorial Hospital murder case. An uncommon choice for a handgun. The police are already looking into manufacturers, but I wouldn't mind digging around myself. It's just that the police can be terribly slow. This is a case that cannot wait."

The living room went quiet then, miss Heinemann looking down at her lap, eyes narrowed. Doubtless her mind was on the endless possibilities that lay before them now - a question of who they were facing, that their numbers seemingly continued to grow, reaching even inside the members of the police. The more they uncovered, the more menacing the situation seemed to be. The greater their clarity, the greater their risk.

The ringing of miss Heinemann’s phone was jarring, a sudden violation of the silence that seemed to spike the woman’s anxiousness - and, to be truthful, even Lunge could feel it. After all, the last phone call she had received was from an individual - perhaps the killer, perhaps an accomplice - speaking threats to both her and the inspector. He watched her stand, turn and stop in the hall, rigid and stubbornly faced forward - unwilling to allow Lunge to see the look of fear that no doubt had found itself there. 

She took a deep breath, lifting the phone to her ear and forcing a bright smile, turning back toward Lunge only after the mask was in place. But there was a desperate look in her eyes, a look that begged for someone to relieve her of this continued torment. Lunge was hardly one to give comfort, it was never a strong area for him, but he would continue to offer his reassurance and logic to ease her troubled mind.

“So it's you. I wasn’t expecting a response already.”

For all that she couldn’t hide, her voice was incredibly well masked. It sounded like a genuine conversation she could be having with anyone. Perhaps she would be well suited as an actress. But, Lunge listened as she spoke - listened for clues, for any information she might be able to give, even encoded. She tilted her head as she listened, waiting for the individual on the other end to reply.

After a moment her expression fell, morphing to something that seemed both concerned and confused at once. Her eyes flicked up to Lunge and narrowed, her lips pinching into a frown for the briefest moment before she laughed - a good, false sound that seemed believable enough if not for the slight shrill sound to it.

“Well, isn’t _this_ a surprise. And here I thought you wanted me.”

Those words….then this wasn’t what Lunge had thought. Perhaps the conversation _was_ genuine? Or...

She stepped forward, holding her phone out to Lunge with a scowl. “Turns out this is for you. And it’s important.”

He looked between the phone and Eva, only taking it when she pressed it into his hands. It was very irregular...but then, his own phone number wouldn’t be known. Eva was now relegated to the role of a message-carrier, whenever her pursuer so fancied. Ordinarily he would advise she abandon the device, but in this case it worked to their advantage to have contact that was so direct. And of course, he didn’t know what her pursuers might do if they found out that their connection had been severed. Rash action from a psychopath was deadly.

He lifted the phone to his ear, taking a few paces ahead, away from Eva.

“Hello, this is Lunge.”

There was a pause, the other end of the call going abruptly silent. Lunge remained still, waiting as palpable dread filled the air around him. His eyes narrowed. There was still nothing - except, he noticed, the sound of soft breathing. Unsteady, though not quite a shuddering sound. He almost couldn’t hear it.

“Hello.”

He tried again, speaking in a lowered voice. The breathing halted, and he could almost feel the person on the other end go rigid. Something was wrong about this phone call; the energy of stress was coming from the other end, from the individuals threatening miss Heinemann. It was backwards, almost as though--

The voice shuddered again, this time clearer than before. Then it spoke.

_“Father?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this is going nowhere good. Time to die
> 
> I literally know nothing about cars other than "box with wheels" otherwise I would've put more detail in that part LOL


	7. Dead End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lunge is given a deadly ultimatum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :) the first shit is hitting the fan
> 
> This chapter is a step back into first person. Also Lunge's daughter is given a name.

I’ve seen a lot of things in a man. Depends how you mean it when you ask, or who it’s about, but I’ve seen all there is to see. They’re not complex as they’d like to think, a man’s disguise is paper thin. They all got some insecurity or another underneath it all, easy to spot for someone like me. Easy to use, if I need their help. Some say that’s a bad thing, makes me the _treacherous vixen_. They can kid themselves all they like. If you got talent, use it - that’s how I always thought. 

Lunge was no different; had a poorly hidden weakness in that broken up home of his. It was almost touching that underneath all that cold, what unravelled him was family. No.. _.ironic,_ that suits him better. Soon as that bastard on the phone asked for him, I knew what it was about. I put on a good mask but truth be told, the last thing I ever wanted was his family to get involved. This game of cat and mouse was just between us - he and I, and our ghosts and demons of the past.

But I watched, watched as he took the phone, watched the settling chill that seeped into his bones. He had turned away from me, out into the hall, but I could feel the breaking glass inside his mind, right in that moment when he realized. Maybe they had his ex-wife. Maybe it was his daughter. 

I can see those thoughts even in the dying light, even with his back to me.

It’s funny. As much as people used to view me as the entitled wealthy dame out for trouble and fun, to suck a man’s wallet dry, Lunge had his own reputation. He was the stone-cold inspector, mind sharp as any blade, heart dried out and dead. But watching him right now - rigid, standing there, all of that’s out the window. He’s no charmer with a dazzling smile, but he has a heart in there. I hate to see it shudder.

And then I hear him. His voice.

_”Karina.”_

He didn’t waver or stutter, but I’ve never heard his voice spoken so softly. I feel rooted to the spot, unable to move, watching Lunge, watching him crumble. 

He doesn’t fall apart the way most do, it’s gradual and subtle. Most wouldn’t know it’s happening, but I’ve known him long enough to know what a stronger Lunge looks like, and when he’s losing his grip. He’s very still, but his shoulders fall a little. One hand hangs in the air, as if he wants to use that terrifying technique of his, that wicked tapping as he inputs data directly to his memory...but it’s just hanging there motionless at his side. I can feel him falling apart even if he won’t show it. All I can do is watch and listen.

_”Of course it’s me. It's me. Now please listen and do as I say, Karina. Breathe slowly. Try to keep calm.”_

His words came gently, spoken with a tender touch that I’d never heard from that man. They were words meant for this Karina, but as far as I could tell they were words he should heed himself.

_”Yes, Karina. I know. But I'm here now. Your father is here. It’s going to be all right. You’re going to be all right.”_

I don’t know what hurts more; seeing the slight twitch in his hand when he says that, or knowing that he can’t guarantee what he’s saying. I can’t help but clutch my own chest, knowing the situation now. That’s his daughter. If it had to be either of them, ex-wife or daughter, at least if it was his ex-wife I could accept it. The woman lived a full life. But hurting a man’s child...there wasn’t a low any deeper. 

Lunge tensed again and that despairing emptiness was gone - I could feel a sharp anger as passionate as my own burning. It was _him_ on the phone now. I could see it in the change. But Lunge didn’t speak, not right away. I don’t know how this bastard works but he’s got to be after something. Using Lunge’s daughter...maybe he wants to turn the inspector against me.

And you know, I think he’d do it, for his daughter. I know I would. She’s young...barely a woman herself, a new mother from the last I heard. What am I compared to that? I’ve had a life...if he turns on me, if he walks away from me, I won’t hold it against him. His hands are tied and I let it happen. I never should have involved him, someone who still had loved ones left.

When he turns, it’s slow, almost like a stumble. His eyes aren’t cold, but they’re not warm or angry; they’re just blank. He’s not looking at me...or at anyone or anything. He’s lost in the dark, caught by the same wretch who ruined my life. I can’t hear what’s happening, but I damn well wish I could. I want to help him. It's not my business but I want to help him.

He looks right at me with those glazed eyes. I don’t know what he’s feeling...not this time. Normally I can see right through him. But now the look he’s got is just empty. There’s nothing _to_ read, and that worries me. I take a step back...I don’t know, I’m not sure what’s happening but I don’t trust it. But something in him fights it...there’s still something strong enough to fight, and he squares up again, that stubborn look back on his face.

“I can’t do that.”

Confidence. Despite the situation he speaks with _confidence_. I don’t know what ‘that’ is. I can guess. Right now, where I am, I’m vulnerable. Using Lunge would be a perfect way to draw the police away from the real culprit. He’s an ideal tool for them.

I really am a fool...I hadn’t thought ahead. Lunge was the one person I thought I could turn to. But I never imagined that his family would be used against him. He’s a liability...and I…

I can’t bear to watch him now. That confidence is so thin, already starting to fracture and there it is...pain in his eyes, pain I’ve never seen on his face. How weak he is, to show that vulnerability even a little…

“No. That’s _not_ what I said. I said that I can’t do what you’re asking. There’s no reason for this.”

The tension in the air is palpable. I could choke on it, if Lunge wasn’t already. Now I really _do_ see it...the shaking, his hand balled into a fist, his face still and stony as he stares at the wall behind me. There’s something dangerous about him - not to me, but to the voice on the phone. If only that were enough.

“The line you’re walking is _very_ thin. If you make this choice I _will_ make you regret it. _Do not_ test me. You’ll revise your terms and let my daughter go or every breath you take will be in fear of what your future holds.”

I can’t stand it, not this. Not any more. He’s saying such proud words...such venom in his voice but it’s a trick, he’s afraid...he’s about to do something he’s going to regret and I…

“Don’t be _stupid!_ Whatever it is he's asking...just _do_ what he wants! It’s not worth it! This isn’t a game...whatever he - “

 _”No._ And not another word.”

When he cuts me off, I lose everything. It’s like a thread has been cut; my knees quake, my blood chills. With a hand against the wall I slowly lower myself down to the ground. I feel ill, because I know that he’s fighting a terrible choice. He’s fighting a battle he won’t win. Either choice he makes...whatever those choices are...he will lose. 

The odds were always against us, but it’s different now. It’s _real_ now.

“I want to speak with her again. Put her on for me.”

_Don’t be a fool._

“Karina. It--”

Lunge went abruptly, sickly, silent.

Even I could hear the echoing bang across the line, the sound made by a newly broken heart.

How did it happen so quickly? A phone call...trying to isolate me...how could they have moved so quickly? How did they know where to find Lunge's family...just the night before everything had seemed fine. The difference of a day...and now...I told him to listen. If he had listened...would the outcome have changed?

Life is so fragile, so easily ended.

I counted the seconds, the only thing I could do to keep myself from losing my own composure.

One. 

Two.

Three...five, nine, ten…

Ten.

The phone fell then, dropped from Lunge’s hand. He stared at it, stared down with that empty look. I braced my hand against the wall, forcing myself to stand, despite my shaking legs; forcing myself to stay squared and tall despite how badly I wanted to scream. There was a vacuum in my throat that sucked the words away from me, sucked the air into an unreachable void. But I’m not the one who’s suffering.

I reach toward him with an uncharacteristic shyness; normally so bold, I don’t feel like myself just now. Am I allowed to breach this distance? To call out? I can’t use words, my voice has left me. He watches my hand, watches it falter and fall. In the end I can’t even reach out to him.

But he won’t speak. He won’t move. The one to act _has_ to be me. _Me…_ to be the one to open him up again...it’s pathetic. Someone like me...I’m no good at this. I’ve never been good at this. But I’m not letting him sink now. 

My head bows, hair falling in front of my eyes...the best shield I can muster, though I’m not trying to hide any more.

“You should have done what he asked.”

It’s not a grief-stricken voice, not accusatory. I don’t know what it is; I don’t recognize the sound, but it came from me. He still won’t look. Still doesn’t…

“Your life...or my daughter.”

His words come in a hoarse tone, quiet, more to himself. “It should be a simple choice. An obvious one. But I’m not a killer. I cannot kill to save a life. My child will not have a murderer for a father.”

My heart skips a beat; I had known it was some sort of deal...to have Lunge kill me...that had been one of my assumptions, but to hear it still startles me somehow. The softness in his voice is betraying; it’s stable, but only because he keeps it low. He’s in pain...or shock. Too shocked to know what to feel. But I…glassy eyes, chest aching...

Why am I the one…

Why am _I_ the one…

“This was what it felt like for you. Or something like it, I suppose.”

At last I can feel myself move again, released from the deadly choking silence. But it’s more like I’m an observer, watching myself as I take jarring steps towards Lunge. I’m not thinking, I don’t know that I can, not right now. I act purely on feeling, in a way that feels like Kenzo, whose heart was always overflowing for others instead of himself. For a moment, I understand how it feels to be him. And Lunge understands how it feels to be me.

I embrace him in his weakness, though gone are my usual charms and tricks. I’m not that low a woman. This isn’t for me, it’s for him, because right now it’s all I can do. I don’t know how to comfort him, or anyone. I’m no good at this, but I’m the only one who can. I lace my arms around him and lean in, closing my eyes, and for the moment there’s only silence. I lower my head into a full bow, taking a shuddered breath.

“I don’t know what to do. What you need. I’ve never really done this before…” 

There’s a hollow sound that I make, and I think it was supposed to be a laugh.

“It’s harder than it looks. Being kind.”

Still no answer, no nothing. Nothing at all. It feels like I’m holding a ghost. After a painful drawn-out moment I try again.

“Tell me what you need. What it is you need me to do. If you want me to leave…then I’ll leave. I’ll never involve you again. But I need...” 

My own voice starts to crack, and I squeeze my eyes shut until it burns.

“I need you to talk to me. Tell me. Tell me…”

When he puts a hand on my shoulder, I expect words - not for him to draw me in, not for the feeling of his hand against my shoulders that keeps me close. I don’t dare to look up; I’m curious to what I’ll see, but curious and prying eyes must wait.

For now, I will wait. This time the moment is his.

Not a single tear is shed, no shudders of pain, but for what his voice lacks I can feel it in his body language. Lunge has been wounded. As any father would be. But this...this is only the initial shock. I don't know if he's ever felt grief like this. It's going to be ugly, even for someone like him. I wonder how it is he grieves...

“I do not want you to leave.”

His voice is as soft as before, still a defense against his own emotions, but there is something reassuring in it. “But I don’t know….I don’t know.” 

The silence fills the air again and I wait - patience isn’t a strong suit, but this is different. I know this pain. I know the racing thoughts and confused emotions. I force myself to wait.

“What I need...is to think. Now more than ever...I cannot abandon this case. Miss Heinemann...I will see it through, as I promised. But I...need time to think.”

The sound I make after that is somewhere between a laugh and a sob. I’m not sure which.

“Please….only Eva. For now...just Eva will do.”

Such formality right now feels strange. He shifts, seems to steady himself a little, pulling back a moment to look at me. He still looks empty, but there’s more life now than before, and there's something that I would almost dare to call warm. He hasn’t rebuilt his cold exterior just yet.

“Eva.”

He repeats it quietly, almost experimentally. Dark eyes catch my own as he slowly turns away.

“Very well. Eva. If you would please notify Agent Suk of the events transpired, I would greatly appreciate it. As it stands, I’m not sure I trust myself to do so.”

It’s a simple request, and ordinarily I would roll my eyes. I’m no messenger girl, but this time...I understand. I give him a sharp nod.

“That’s fine. I’ll do it, then.”

I pick up the phone, still on the floor, and almost miss the softly spoken words, but as he leaves -

“Thank you, Eva.”

He's gone before I can respond. I’m glad, because I don’t know what I would have said if he’d stayed.

Instead, I just stare at the phone.

This time, my tears are for him, and for his daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rip Lunge’s daughter :( I’m sorry for being horrible
> 
> It gets worse before it gets better...
> 
> This one was a bit shorter but TBH because it's such a heavy hitter I didn't want to put anything else in there. So you get a break now....


	8. Femme Fatale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lunge has been hurt. Those around him must pick up the pieces and try not to be swallowed into the darkness. Perhaps it would be wiser to leave it behind after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for character death in this chapter. I say this whilst grinning. :3
> 
> Also got some music for the first bit of this chapter [here!](https://listenonrepeat.com/watch/?v=Rb6oXemVMuk) Just kinda....fits the atmosphere tbh.

There was a time for grief and mourning. It wasn’t here, not now. Yet still as Lunge excused himself, he could feel as pieces of his calm began to chip away, fragile that they were, barely able to hold together beneath the shock and pressure. He had maintained composure before his guest, but as he closed the bedroom door and crossed into the adjoining bathroom, he did not feel...himself. In the strangest way, it was as though each step drew him further and further away from his body. 

He had spoken to her when it happened. It was as though he was right there. If he had reached out, he could have taken her hand in comfort. Lunge stared down at empty hands, barely visible in the dim darkness, the only light filtering through from the outside. He hadn’t bothered to turn on the light. As he was now, light would reveal too much; a face he would not recognize.

He gripped the sink with white-knuckled hands, not so steady as he would have liked them to be. He could hear it still, in his mind. The deadly echo followed by silence. The choice he had made that cost an innocent life - a choice that stained his hands in his own blood.

_There was no certainty that they would hold their end. If I did as they asked, there was no guarantee they would release her._

Here he was now, thinking - genuinely pondering - the possibility of what might have been if he had turned on Eva. Poison had crept into his open wound, crawling under the skin like a bubbling plague. He had known the consequence when he made his decision, and yet he could not prepare himself for the feeling that came of it. 

He chanced a look into the mirror, peering through the dark at the face that peered back. Strange that only now did he see so much of his daughter in his own features. Of course, hers were softer, more elegant than his, elegant and graceful with warm eyes, not the cold dead things he saw staring back at him.

She had grown so beautifully. 

He had not said so enough, not to her face.

Something hotter ran through his veins then, burning in his eyes and chest, tight and tense and ferocious. Lunge felt that separation again, watching his body act with a numb awareness. The mirror cracked and splintered, bits of glass cutting the balled fist that had struck so suddenly. The warm trickle of blood brought Lunge back to himself, though it didn’t hurt. Or perhaps it did - but the pain in his hand was far eclipsed by the burning tension in his chest.

He was cold, felt dead, but somehow his heart was on fire.

That Eva had felt this same loss not once but thrice was a terrible realization. He barely felt that he could stand.

The rules were plain; he wasn’t allowed to mourn, to allow personal emotions into the equation, until after the case was closed. But here, now, granted the privacy of his own room and the mercy of the evening dark, he felt those emotions blanket him in a suffocating embrace. Regret, pain, rage, and an emptiness all occupied a space that so often had barely enough room for a single feeling.

_I am sorry._

It was necessary to grieve. A few minutes. He would not be _fine_ \- grief was a long lasting beast that had sunk deep into his bones - but he would be able to continue, if he gave himself but a few minutes now to pour those emotions in isolation.

_I love you._

He had promised his daughter that everything would be all right. He had promised Eva that he would see the murders of her father and Tenma to justice. Neither were promises that he could, in absolute certainty, keep. Perhaps it was best he not make any more.

How long he stayed in his room, Lunge was unsure. Time in the dark was swallowed by uncertainty. What finally broke him loose of his self-imposed cage was an unfamiliar element - the wafting of a smell, something burning. With only the worst on his mind, he threw the door open, drawing his pistol as he took the stairs two at a time. He found himself feeling like a fool, gripped tight to a weapon as he faced Eva, mildly bewildered, in the kitchen.

“I made something for us to eat.”

Her voice was lighter than before, but still tinged with somber notes. Eva looked him over with those scrutinizing eyes, well aware of the blood on his knuckles and the weariness on his face, but she made no comment. Perhaps she found it within herself to be merciful in his weakened state. Whatever the cause for her lack of comment, he was thankful.

Eva had already begun serving, setting plates of overcooked beef and mashed potatoes beside glasses of wine. A sad scene if he was to be truthful, but then that seemed to suit him. 

It became apparent, as he cut into the meat, that Eva couldn’t cook worth a damn. It tasted bland, unseasoned, and charred. The mashed potatoes were equally tasteless, but at least she hadn’t managed to burn that somehow. A few bites in, he looked up with a forced half-smile.

“It’s all delicious. Thank you for this.”

Eva’s complexion lightened, and a warm sort of smile softened her own weary face just a little - barely any change, yet she somehow seemed to be the brightest thing in the room. She absorbed his compliment, even knowing it was a lie. It brought them both comfort.

* * *

Jan didn't know what to think.

The news came as a surprise. It was the second time now that Eva had called him, the second time in...a single week. The second murder, the second in relation to the same case. This time it wasn’t someone that Agent Suk knew - not really, not personally. Lunge’s daughter…

He stared at the coffee he’d poured for himself, stared into the murky black that reflected his miserable face back at him.

Even though he never really knew her, he still felt sick to his stomach, just thinking about it. There was absolutely no doubt in his mind that this was a personal attack - to punish them for looking into the murder of Tenma. More specifically, to punish Lunge. It meant that whoever the killer was...they had access to information. Lunge’s family wasn’t exactly _hiding,_ but the former inspector never really made a point to mention them to just anyone.

_A threat was issued to my client. A warning...that individuals close to her cannot be trusted. A warning that included the safety of my family._

Lunge’s words rang all too clearly in Suk’s mind. Someone close, someone who knew about Lunge’s family. There was him of course - and idly, he felt a shiver down his spine; it was possible they thought….he might be a suspect right now. But who else knew anything about Lunge’s family? Anyone on the force from Lunge’s time….Braun and Zeman, they might know. They were the only senior staff that had been on the force back then. But anyone else….

Suk stared at his phone. He should be calling the station to let someone on duty know he’d gotten more information. But right now it was Braun and Muller, making Braun the most senior officer on the clock. And if he might be involved in the murder….

He didn’t want to risk letting anything slip. It would be better if Lunge made the report himself; Suk wasn’t _supposed_ to know. It’d be too suspicious for him to tell anyone - they’d question why Eva didn’t just call the police department directly, and instead called an off-duty cop. Her lack of trust in the police would be immediately apparent, which threw Suk’s entire operation out the window. He had to keep this to himself, so he could independently investigate the rest of the task force, while their guards were down.

At least he had two possibles for sure, now. Zeman and Braun.

Still, he was worried about this second murder. Eva hadn’t told him any details - it seemed like they didn’t know where it took place, so it wasn’t like there was a crime scene to investigate. Lunge probably had more details but he wasn’t in any state to talk it over right now. Anything concerning her murder would have to wait until tomorrow.

Lunge.....

He'd wondered in passing, before, if it was even possible for Lunge to be compromised like this. But now it was happening and he wished he didn't know.

Instead of calling in the report, Suk dialed another number. He felt a little bad about calling this late, but...he was stressed. If these people were targeting anyone associated with the case, going for people close to them, then there was a chance Anna was in danger. It was a long shot and he knew it but...just hearing her voice...he just wanted to hear her voice. 

Jan eased backward into his chair, letting the comfort of the cushions absorb him as the phone started to ring. After three, he could feel himself start to go a little cold. He had to remind himself that it was late...that that was normal...but still, each ring without response made his chest feel tighter.

After a moment though, there was a click. A click that almost cut like a knife. Suk jolted up, sitting rigidly as he listened to the soft voice on the other end.

_”Hello…?”_

She sounded wary, uncertain. Jan swallowed hard, steeling himself.

“Anna...I’m so sorry. I know it’s late. If you can’t talk then...I mean that’s okay. Just...I needed to…” He shook his head. It was already hard enough for him to talk to her, and on top of that it was late, and both were tired. He shook his head. “I’m sorry...never mind, I’m sorry.”

There was rustling on the other end, and a yawn. 

_”Jan...you’re not making any sense. Can you repeat…?”_

It took him a second to register what she said because...well because...

_Her yawn...was kind of cute._

Oh god, he was making such a fool of himself now. Jan sighed, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, dragging a hand down his face. “I’m...not really in a good state to say anything right now. It’s just...something happened. Work related. Can we talk tomorrow? Would that be alright? If that's okay...”

There was a pause, and he could almost feel Anna tense on the other end.

_”Are you sure? Do you need to talk about it now? I don’t really mind…”_

He felt his face heat up just a little. She really was….really sweet. Anna…

...but he couldn’t be selfish like that. He needed to let her rest. And to get some sleep himself. He had work to do tomorrow, and he needed to get the rest of the story from Lunge. Assuming...he'd be ready to talk.

“No...I mean, I’ll be alright, I can wait. It might be better, or I might get my details mixed up...it’s late and I need to sleep on it, you know…”

There was a short pause and a sigh.

_”Well, if you’re sure. But know you can always talk to me, Jan.”_

His face flushed a shade darker.

“Good thank...I mean, thank you. Goodnight…”

* * *

Jan actually slept halfway well that night. 

Maybe it was the reassurance that Anna was safe, or possibly the hope that he’d be able to talk more with Lunge. Whatever happened last night...Lunge would have more of a grasp on the situation. But it seemed like in that respect, he was a little disappointed the following morning.

Not only was the police depot empty save for the usual crowd, the lack of additional scurrying around told him that the police didn’t know about last night’s incident. Which meant that right now...Lunge had pulled his investigation away from the police _completely_.

That wasn’t entirely surprising, but it did leave him a little dejected. The whole point of his secret investigation required that he had some sort of contact with Lunge, or else how was he supposed to tell him anything? Although he supposed he could write down his findings in a journal for now, and when Lunge was ready to meet...he’d have something to show for it.

There didn’t _seem_ to be anything off about how Zeman and Braun were behaving. Not in the office anyway. Even checking their offices during the lunch hour, when they both headed out to eat with their wives, didn’t really reveal anything special. In Braun’s desk there was a half-empty bottle of whisky...which wasn’t _supposed_ to be allowed, but it also wasn’t really that surprising. Not for Braun. Zeman’s office had even less to look at; a photo of his wife, a box of paperclips, a nail file and a stack of folders from the case he was on.

The next step would be looking at their activities _out_ of the office...but Suk wasn’t really ready to pull that off alone. He wanted to get a word from Lunge first, any advice he could take. This sort of thing was new to him...it was more undercover espionage work than what he was used to. It really didn’t work to his strengths. 

Talking to Anna, maybe he’d get some sort of clarit…

_Anna._

Jan choked on a bite of his sandwich, squeezing his eyes shut as it burned down his throat, the young detective hastily uncapping his water and downing a gulp. He looked like an embarrassment, but with the realization that just struck…

The other day, Zeman had made an off comment - something about...asking Suk about his evening with Anna. It was fairly normal, or it would be...only he hadn’t _told_ anyone they were meeting. At the time he’d chalked it up to Zeman catching him with a blush on the way in, but what if he…

What if he’d been watching? The bar they went to was a pretty popular place, and Suk had made a point of showing a few of the guys around once...it was possible Zeman was keeping an eye on him. He still didn’t know for _sure,_ but just in case...he needed to change his plans with Anna. They couldn’t meet there to talk. They needed to meet somewhere private.

Jan excused himself to the washroom, locking the door and leaning against it quietly as he pulled his phone up against his ear, taking slow breaths. He must seem like such a nervous moron to Anna right now, but...it was better to be safe.

_”Jan…? Is everything all right?”_

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. She was still okay. That was good.

“Yeah. Just..” His voice was softly spoken, barely above a whisper, just in case. He didn’t want to risk being heard through the door. “...I know we talked about tonight, but I was wondering...can you come to my apartment this evening instead? I just have a bad feeling about something and I’d rather talk to you where I know it’s safe.”

_”Jan, if something’s wrong you’re going to have to be more clear with me. Do you need me to come sooner? Are you sure this can wait?”_

He could hear the worry in her voice. Suk took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He _had_ to get a grip. Not for his sake, but for hers.

“I don’t think...whatever it is I don’t think anything’s going to happen right away. I’d just rather be safe...you know? Just in case. So just...meet me at my place. I don’t live that far from the station, take a left and then it's the first townhouse two blocks down, number 47.” He forced a smile and tried his best to let it ease into his voice. “I promise things are okay over here. I just want to take a few precautions.”

* * *

It was true that Jan wanted - more than anything, really - to have Anna visit him at his apartment...but this really wasn’t the way he’d been expecting. And...those stray, lingering thoughts about her...really weren’t appropriate. This wasn’t a date, it was about protecting her from a would-be danger. And, well, getting a statement from her, just to be safe.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her, but he didn’t want to miss any angles. She was one of only three people he could think of right now that knew where Lunge’s family was living. Four, including himself, but he didn’t…well...he _hoped_ that Lunge knew it wasn’t him.

Despite convincing himself that it wasn’t a date, Suk still found himself cleaning up his apartment before Anna showed up. He really didn’t think anything was going to _happen,_ they were just going to chat and maybe make sure that Anna was safe and hadn’t felt like she was being watched lately. After that he’d offer to drive her home - it was one thing coming here alone, but when it got dark he really wasn't so sure - and that would be that. Nothing else.

Even so, when the doorbell rang, his face turned a faint shade of pink. Suk made one last pass through the living room and headed to the foyer, checking himself out quickly in the mirror. He’d changed his suit out for something a little more comfortable, but still professional enough to greet Anna for a discussion like this. He’d freshly combed his hair, to make sure he...well…

Alright he really did want to look good for her. But this was strictly professional business.

Swallowing, his throat suddenly and inexplicably dry, Jan pulled the door open and offered an awkward little smile as he looked over his guest. Anna was wearing a light gray coat over her black skirt and light blue blouse, purse held gingerly in both hands as she smiled a soft, warm smile of her own. 

She was really coming into his apartment. This really was happening.

“Oh, Anna….I mean, come inside, and d-don’t worry about the shoes, it’s fine, I mean, I don’t mind. It’s not that tidy anyway…”

Just in case he’d missed cleaning anything he figured it was safest to blurt some sort of excuse. She gave him a look, but stepped inside and took in her simple and fairly plain surroundings.

Why didn’t he have a nicer flat? This was kind of embarrassing...but she took it in with a look of genuine charm, from the plain pale gray walls to the furniture he’d been given by his mother when he first moved in - not _bad_ or _ugly_ , but it definitely looked worn and used, like it had seen some love.

“If this is messy for you, I’m impressed.”

She was so encouraging, even when she was just trying to be funny. Jan swallowed again, wishing he had a glass of water. “Anyway….if you’ll come inside...I mean, into the living room. I’d like to talk...important things, like I said...oh, and you can….do you want me to grab your coat for you? I’ll hang it up…”

Anna gave him a fond, sideways smile as she shouldered out of her coat herself. “Nonsense. You don’t have to do everything for me, Jan.”

Her voice was so sweet and soft. Jan turned around so she wouldn’t see yet another flush of his cheeks, and he headed into the kitchen to pour them both water. Ice cold water….that was good, it’d definitely help him out. He came back around the corner to hand one to Anna, leading her into the living room and turning on the light, closing the windows, just in case.

“Oh, yeah...and I’ll drive you home later, it was kind of short notice for me to change plans and all and it's probably safer that way…”

She looked like she was going to protest, but in the end just shrugged. Anna sat down first, on one of the faux-leather armchairs by the coffee table, crossing one leg over the other in one fluid motio…

_Don’t look, idiot! That’s so creepy…_

“Well anyway….about...what this is about…” Jan took a seat slowly, bringing the water to his lips. It felt so much better just to be sitting down instead of standing. He cleared his throat, setting the glass down in front of him and clasping his hands together.

“I’m not supposed to tell anyone about this, so I need you to promise you’ll keep it quiet. Especially from the police. And I know that sounds bad, but trust me this time, it’s important.”

She narrowed her eyes, worry clear on her face, but nodded regardless. “I trust you, Jan.”

He released his breath in a heavy sigh.

“Whoever it is that killed Tenma...the murderer, or the group, I don’t think there’s just one person...they have inside information. They’re punishing the people on the case, who’re trying to solve it. Just last night…”

He looked down, swallowing thickly, a lump forming in his throat. “Just last night, Private Investigator Lunge….his daughter was murdered. Apparently he’d received a warning...that the police shouldn’t be trusted. And I think...that I might know who it is who did it.”

Anna had gone still, carefully cradling the drink Jan had handed her as she looked over him with a worried sort of face. “Jan…” she whispered, her voice low, soft. “This is…are you sure you should...why...why are you telling me this?”

He didn’t want to scare her. But he should’ve known she would be nervous. Jan gave her an intense sort of look, one that he hoped was strong and not as scared as he felt inside.

“Because I’m worried he might try to get to you, too. Because _I’m_ on this case, and because...because he knows that I care about you.”

His ears turned a hot shade of pink right then. Why was it so hard for him to just admit his feelings? This wasn’t how he’d wanted it to be, but the better she understood the situation…

There was a sudden drumming outside. It had started to rain. Anna hadn’t worn a raincoat...he’d let her borrow his umbrella when they left. But for now….Jan reached into his breast pocket, pulling out a folded photograph and handing it to Anna. It was a picture of him standing beside Zeman - from the day he’d first started working under Zeman, years ago, one he'd picked from his file before he left work.

“Listen, Anna, have you ever been approached by this man? Or have you seen him around? Anywhere that you might be vulnerable...do you think you’ve seen him watching you?”

She studied the picture with anxious eyes for a minute or two. “I don’t….I don’t know. No. I don’t think so…” worried blues shot up, doe-like and frightened. “Who is he?”

Jan took the photograph back, setting it back in his pocket as he stared into his lap. “His name’s Filip Zeman. He’s my immediate supervisor. I...something he said recently worried me. He knew that I was meeting you at the bar...even though he shouldn’t have heard about that.”

“That’s why you wanted to meet here instead.” Anna supplied, and Jan nodded solemnly.

“I don’t want you to get hurt. Because of me.”

The rain outside was coming a little harder, a little louder. It...fit the tone, the way that Anna was looking at him, almost like she was devastated. He watched her stand, moving to stand himself, to….maybe apologize? Did he say too much, when he shouldn’t have? But before he even had the chance to speak, she’d grabbed both of his hands and held them, cradling them gently in her own with that painful, painful look in her eyes.

“If I get hurt, it’s not because of anything you’ve done. It’s because someone else is using your good heart against you. Never blame yourself for that. But Jan…”

The grip on his hands tightened just a little, and he found himself looking between their held hands and her face, distraught and so sad and….he didn’t _want_ her to be sad. He wanted to make it better.

“I’m going to be selfish right now. But I want…” her voice had softened, the faintest crack in those usually flawless words. “I want you to leave this case alone. It’s not because of what might happen to me, I don’t care about that. But with what you know….how _much_ you know...I’m afraid...that if you stayed on this case….” 

Her eyes widened, glassy and wet. “I’m afraid that you might die. And I don’t want anything… _anything_ to happen to you, Jan. Because I care...I care so much about you. And I know it’s selfish of me to say that...I know…”

Suddenly she was closing the distance between them, her arms wrapping around him tightly as her face buried against his chest. “I know that it’s selfish, but I don’t want anything to happen to you. So please...please, Jan, let it go.”

With Anna’s words….that desperate, desperate plea….Jan almost wanted to cry. Almost, he was able to hold himself together. A hand came up slowly, gently resting against the back of Anna’s head, comforting...soothing, or that was the intent. She was telling him...how she felt, from the bottom of her heart. And she wanted him to be safe….

God, she….

A part of him was tempted to accept. But he knew that he couldn’t. This person had killed….even before Tenma he’d killed so many. And now Lunge’s daughter….Lunge, who had been such an inspiration to him, a mentor….Lunge had even _trusted_ him on this case, entrusted him with a task that he hadn’t dared reveal to any of the other police.

He couldn’t turn his back now. He just couldn’t.

Gently, he moved his hands so they rested on Anna’s shoulders, stepping back just a little, looking down into her horribly sad eyes. It hurt him to see her like this, but…

“I’m...really grateful that you care so much Anna. But I can’t just...I can’t leave when Lunge needs me. I don’t want to betray him. I hope you understand...a lot of people are dead, including...including people that I care about. I want them to see justice too. And I want to be a part of that justice.”

She looked up at him, then her eyes fluttered closed, sad, almost...heartbroken. “I...I understand. You’re a good person….”

Jan just held her shoulders gently as she turned her head away, taking breaths to calm herself. He didn’t want to hurt her...but he couldn’t betray the people who got him to where he was now. Which meant that the next order of business was going to have to be...making sure that Anna was safe. He _wasn’t_ leaving this case, which meant she was in danger. If he had someone assigned to her as a possible targ--

Anna was turning back toward him, and moving, and suddenly….she was _right there._ She was...she….

All of Suk’s thoughts halted when he felt lips press against his own, arms pulling him in with surprising force. He blinked, then flushed, then melted entirely; he hadn’t expected it, not like this, but Anna...Anna had been waiting for this, too, hadn’t she? Waiting and wanting…

Suk closed his eyes, wrapping his own arms around her. Anna...Anna was just as much a victim tangled up in this ordeal. With these arms...he would protect her. He _vowed_ to protect her.

Anna shifted, breaking the kiss, lifting her lips to his ear, one hand brushing his cheek as the other released him. Suk didn’t open his eyes, waiting for her to speak.

“I want you to know how real this is for me…” she whispered, words spoken so softly against his ear making the detective shiver, still utterly rooted in place. He heard the rustle of something like fabric and felt his heart flutter. "You’re a good person. I really do think I…that I...I don’t know...”

He waited in anticipation, waited for her to finish her thoughts. Because he was ready...if she was, then he was ready, too. He was ready to tell her exactly how he felt, to….

...It was the click that first told him something was wrong. 

Then the feeling of something being pressed into his chest, something cold and threatening.

Eyes shot open, growing wide as he stared in bewilderment at Anna, one hand still holding him with that gentle force against his cheek, a gun now pressed to his chest with the other.

Anna….was….

But how could it be her? How….could it be _Anna?_

He never...ever in a million years would have thought she’d be involved.

And because he didn’t see it, he was going to…

He was going to...

He could feel tears welling up in his eyes, a combination of shock, betrayal and that sick realization of what she'd really come here to do. He could feel his lower lip trembling as he fought to stave off the crying, tried instead to plead, to reason with her. It didn’t have to be this way. She didn’t have to do this. He could...disappear, go with her somewhere, go quietly, she didn’t have to….

_I don’t want to die._

She looked as sad as he felt. Her eyes were glistening, too. Her hand was steady, but her eyes looked so sad.

“Please don’t cry…” her voice was as pleading as his, softly spoken and trembling. “I really do think that...you’re a good person. You should’ve just left it alone…”

He couldn't call for help. And he'd isolated himself - if he'd met in the regular place, at the bar, if she tried to isolate him there, it'd still be harder to take him out without someone noticing. But he'd invited her into his home, alone. He was alone. If she shot him now, there was no one who would notice. And no one knew he was meeting Anna, because he'd kept that quiet, too. He was just going to disappear one night and no one was going to know.

With one last pleading look, he felt the dam break, a few tears escaping as he shook his head, staring Anna in the eye.

_”Please don’t.”_

It sounded so pitiful. Anna drew a sharp breath, and--

**_One._ **

**_Two._  
**

Anna looked down at him, at his sad, sad face. Only after she’d shot did her hand start to tremble, her chest tight. If he hadn’t started crying, then…

There was a buzz from her phone, and Anna startled, heart pounding, gun dropping from her hands. She held it up to her ear, throat still dry and parched.

_”Is it done?”_

The softness of the voice on the other end soothed her. Anna closed her eyes, lowering her head, crouching down to pick up the fallen weapon.

“It is. It’s done.”

_”Good. Make sure you throw the gun away before you leave. You can’t be tracked.”_

Anna took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, confidence slowly returning. His voice calmed her, brought reason back. She didn't always like it...but everything Johan did was for them. It was all so they could be happy. And if Johan was fighting for the both of them...then she could follow through. She just had to follow his orders.

“Yes, Johan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And no one is surprised by who died!
> 
> ...Though I doubt people were expecting Anna to actually be Nina. 
> 
> In this AU they're a brother-sister team....hehehe...and because "Anna Liebert" was never adopted by the Fortners none of that name change thing happened....thus she is Anna...


	9. Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With two dead in such short a time, it begs the question whether this case is worth the danger. Or that’s what Lunge thinks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As the title implies this is an Interlude Chapter! I'm givin y'all a break from all the Murder this go around. But it'll be back don't worry

“It’s really been something. Just don’t know what to do.”

The bar was lively enough; there were a fair few folks around, sitting at their own tables, some at the counter. Grimmer’d been more than happy to entertain Richard when he got the call. There was enough he already knew, but what Richard had to say was a hard hitter. Drinks at a familiar place, like old times….felt like they both could use it.

He and Richard were near the back, where it was quiet. Could still hear the soft, smooth jazz in the background, the faint murmur of conversation around them as they nursed their whisky and bourbon. _Something…_ now that was a heck of a word. Grimmer sighed into his drink, looking down, down at his reflection. In comparison to his friend he sure looked chipper.

It was a grim week. Two murders...two good kinds of folks. Suk, Tenma….

He’d known Tenma was coming back around town sometime this month. Didn’t know it was gonna be in a casket. He took a slow sip of his drink, just let himself think.

Tenma was the kinda guy that cared too much. Could be a good thing, but empathy was dangerous, weaponized by the wrong sorta folks. A bleeding heart ran dry after so long, really wasn’t any easier way to say it. 

Tenma….he’d gotten to know Tenma well enough back in the day. All thanks to his drinking partner of the night. The two of them and Lunge....their friendship went back to college...a long long time they’d known each other. Long enough to watch each other become husbands and fathers. But Tenma…

He’d got talking to Richard once, when they were out for drinks. Bout some case he and Lunge were on - this Tenma guy he was after. Got him looking into it; Grimmer had the benefit of working private, didn’t have the same public scrutiny, he had more freedom to follow his leads and heck...both those cops were his friends, guys he owed for one thing or another. Didn’t mind lending a hand.

It all got messy once he tracked down the guy. This “Tenma” wasn’t any kinda killer, in spite of whatever Lunge said. The guy was exhausted and lost as all hell, so…well, Grimmer made a judgement call. Him and his wife kept Tenma out of sight, let him stay in the spare room at their place to rest up. Grimmer was still helping Richard and Lunge with the case...just not the way they mighta thought. Tenma wasn’t any kinda crook, so he focused on trying to find who _was._

When charges were dropped on Tenma, it looked like the case was back at square one. Grimmer knew well enough not to get attached. The way he saw it, they were all alive. They had that to be grateful about. But Lunge...so long as the murderer wasn’t behind bars, he wasn’t sleeping. Even Tenma...he adjusted a whole lot better, but even he had that faraway look, like he was still searching.

That whole case….they shoulda buried it. But they didn’t, and instead it was Tenma in the ground. Tenma and his damn bleeding heart.

That'd been a hard hit for Grimmer. His wife too. Wasn't the kinda upset you wanted to hear early in the morning. Felt worse being so in the dark about it all, so caught off guard.

Richard had been the first on the phone with him. Called him to a cafe, filled him in on what he could. It was tough to take in, couldn’t pretend it wasn’t. Suk’s death was just another injury direct to the heart. Two good folks, dead over some case they shoulda left well enough alone.

Grimmer went back to staring into his drink, frowning deeply, looking at the creases on his reflected face.

“I really thought he would’ve come to me.”

He couldn’t help the somber notes in his voice, Suk had been something close to family for him, almost like a nephew. He taught the fella all he could, tricks to help him on his way as a detective, tools to protect himself. The kid came to him for guidance plenty back in the day, so the silence after Tenma’s murder was reported came as a shock.

Richard gave him a tired, sad sorta smile and shrugged, sipping his whisky. 

“Maybe he was scared. Didn’t wanna confront you about it, since you both knew him. It's a painful topic. The poor kid was a wreck the last few days. Either miserable or overworking himself.”

He had to admit that made enough sense, with the kinda kid Suk was. He liked to keep things all to himself, especially if it was taking a toll on him in a real bad way. Didn’t mean Grimmer felt any better about it. He leaned back with a sigh, soaking up the mellow piano in the background, the slight hints of conversation from people two or three tables away. Any one of them could be the culprit. He rested his elbows on the table, drink barely held in his hand.

“And this was all last night, in his own home. Nothing out of the ordinary before, you say?”

Richard looked troubled, tired bags under his eyes slightly puffy. Couldn’t blame the man; if Suk was close to a nephew for Grimmer, then he’d be damn near a son to the officer.

“He’d been quiet, really shut into the case. There was some rumour at the station that he was giving more to Lunge than the rest of us. Nothing solid, but he did seem more eager to chat with the former inspector than us, his colleagues.”

A bit out of sorts for him, knowing how Suk viewed both Zeman and Richard. It was possible Lunge blackmailed him somehow; his methods had gone to the extreme ever since he was let go. Had more freedom, and he used it. And of course, Suk was an unfortunately easy fellow to startle. Something that Lunge knew well enough.

“That boy didn’t have any real enemies, the last I was aware.”

Grimmer leaned forward, pensive, downing the rest of his drink. He thought about a second one, but then, in present company...less was definitely better.

“You remember right. He’s a good kid. Could be a bit annoying to some colleagues, but no one wanted _this_. It’s been grim at the station and it’s only getting grimmer. Kid didn’t deserve any of it.” Richard nursed his whisky, admirably slow as he recounted what he knew to his friend. “Best I can give you is he was heading the Tenma case. Could be our guy was out to silence us, took out the man overseeing it.”

It wouldn’t be impossible to believe, but it muddied the waters just a little. Grimmer let his arm dangle at his side, looking up to the lights that lit the room in a dull orange.

“That’d mean our guy knows something from the inside, right? It’s not public knowledge he was in charge.”

Richard shook his head slowly.

“Could be. But I can tell you it ain't the same killer. Couldn’t be. Those killings, you’re left with this empty presence. Nothing. But it was charged in there. It looked like a real comfortable space, like he’d invited his killer inside. Didn’t find a murder weapon, just the body.”

Once again Grimmer looked into his glass, at the tired man looking back.

“Damn.”

Wasn’t much else to say but that. Suk...that kid, he wasn’t the wisest of ‘em. Wasn’t hard to think he’d let someone in if he thought ‘em trustworthy. Did narrow down the possibilities a bit, though. Knowing Suk...he was the gentleman type, the ‘take a lady’s coat for her, give up his own umbrella to her’ charmer wannabe kind. What they were looking at was probably a woman murderess - rarer, harder to spot. Thing about the ladies was they really had a devious way. Men...they were straightforward, pretty easy to read once you knew the type. But a lady. Even Grimmer had trouble reading ‘em. Changed like the wind and could be just as temperamental, as his wife liked to say.

“I thought this was all in the past now.”

Richard looked even worse off than before. He shook his head, rubbing his temples.

“We thought giving this to Suk might give him a bit of closure. He took it harder than the rest of us, Tenma’s death. Guess you and him knew the guy better back then. Should’ve been keeping a closer eye on him.”

Ah, hell. The guy probably blamed himself for Suk’s death. Grimmer couldn’t say he felt much different. Always thought he was supposed to be Suk’s support, but right when he really needed it, there was nobody around. He leaned back, closing his eyes as he let out a tired sigh.

“So what’s the plan now?”

The silence that answered was suffocating, a pressure that built between them. Felt like a raincloud was brewing right up over their heads. Richard hadn’t even looked up, was just sitting with a slouch staring at his whisky. To his credit he’d drank less of the two of ‘em.

“Don’t know. Chief could pull the plug if it’s too dangerous for us cops. But on the other hand, now it’s personal. Got our blood on their hands. Either way it’s messy. And I don’t know…” 

Richard hesitated, paused a second or two. There was a real thought there, something eating at him.

“...I don’t know if it’s related, but Lunge hasn’t been in contact with us the last few days. Seemed pretty willing to cooperate with the police, but it’s been dead air. The timing...could just be coincidence.” He gave Grimmer a sidelong glance. “But you know how it is with coincidences.”

For a detective, they didn’t exist. Couldn’t make that assumption without safely proving it.

So, Lunge was the man to see, then. Grimmer filed that away. Not for tonight...Richard was down and out, needed a little company and right now, that was him. Sides, he had a feeling Lunge wouldn’t just back off without reason. He’d leave the guy be for now; if he knew Lunge, that smug bastard was already running circles around the cops. He’d resurface when he was ready, and then Grimmer’d have his chance.

It wasn’t just for Tenma anymore. Wasn’t just about putting old ghosts down for good. Now this was about family. Suk….might notta been any blood relative to either, but they’d imparted parts of themselves onto his psyche, built him up to the detective he was. 

Just a shame he bit it before they could see him shine.

“You better not let me down, detective. It’s for Suk now, too.”

Richard shrugged his shoulders, tired and worn that he was.

“And you’ll be lurking around the corner, doing things your way. That about right?”

“That about says it.”

The laugh they shared was hollow, but they’d made their promise then and there. 

“Let’s close this thing, the right way this time.”

* * *

Wasn’t her first funeral, wouldn’t be the last. With all her experience, Eva couldn’t help but laugh at herself, bitter and self loathing. Here she was, a god damn wreck, and how many times had it been? Should be immune by now, but the pain’s still the same. Even though she never knew the kid, not really. But she wasn’t sure if she was really sad for him.

The worst was seeing Mrs. Suk. Lunge broke the news, brought her all the way in a wheelchair so she could say a last goodbye. Couldn’t imagine what that felt like. Eva had it hard when she lost her father; what was it like for a mother outliving the son she gave birth to? For a father?

Eva wasn’t so miserable for Suk. It was sad...couldn’t say it wasn’t, death was always sad when it came so suddenly. Her misery was for those two, the parents that lost their children. A mother her son, a father his daughter. Every tear she shed was for them. Mrs. Suk was already ill and fragile; a wound so deep to a fading heart was worse than she could bear. And Lunge…

He was doing his best to fool. A stone cold face that he wore well...most people probably bought it, those half-assed detectives, but Eva knew better. He’d set Suk up on that special investigation of his. Shortly after the kid turns up dead. Probably blamed himself for putting that much on a kid who couldn’t keep his head out of the clouds.

He hadn’t said a word since he’d brought Mrs. Suk, not to Eva, not to anyone. So she couldn’t get a read on him, no doubt an intentional effort. Didn’t want to let anyone in, like another god damn fool. Didn’t he know that was how you healed? But that was the problem with men. They internalized everything, wouldn’t take any other answer except their own. Had to do things their way, and now two of them were dead. Hell if she was going to let Lunge do the same.

With her back to a wall and a cigarette for comfort, Eva watched the rest from a distance. She'd done her part, needed to clear her head, so she just observed out of sight. All the mourners comforting that old woman, Lunge over her shoulder like some guardian angel. She leaned her head back, staring up at the sky. Weren’t any clouds - the afternoon was clear as it could be, if a little chill, even in her coat. But the serene atmosphere couldn’t fool her; the killing wasn’t over, wouldn’t be so long as they kept on this path. Only question was who’d be next. 

Someone would squeal, give her up and it’d all be over. The cops had no reason to protect her, losing one of their own. She smirked, laughing a hollow laugh as she took a drag, watching the smoke billow upward, lifted into the sky. Soon enough that’d be her.

The looming of a dark shadow in the sun’s light caused Eva to turn her head. There he was, with that dark and cold face. What she wouldn’t give to take her nails across it, make him bleed, _force_ the pain out of him. The longer he kept on hiding, the sooner he’d fall to pieces. Wasn’t much she could do for a man who wouldn’t help himself.

“I will be seeing to Mrs. Suk’s arrangements. For the time being our investigation is postponed.”

Eva looked away, looked up and up, staring at that empty afternoon sky, but didn’t say a word. If he thought that would ease his conscience, so be it. But there was something that didn't feel right, something about the way he was looking at her. 

“In light of recent events, I will be calling my ex-wife and arranging for her departure from this city. You will be accompanying her.”

She didn’t turn, didn’t move at all. Eva just closed her eyes, snickering quietly to herself, a pained little laugh that bubbled emptily from some bizarre place in her heart. When the spell died down, she took a slow drag from her cigarette.

“No, I’m not.”

There was no anger in her voice, nothing hostile or fierce. But she wouldn’t be moved; if he really thought he could tell Eva Heinemann what to do, he’d lost more than she thought. She fished in her purse, looking for something in its very depths. “In fact, I made reservations for us to have dinner tonight. My treat. To make up for my terrible cooking.”

His face was still blank, still empty. She expected a touch of defiance might irritate him, but it had no effect. He looked just the same, like a doll less than a man. He walked around to her other side, further from sight, so only Eva could see him.

“I’m afraid this is no longer a game, miss Heinemann. I was willing to entertain you because I was certain at the time that I could keep you safe. However, in light of what’s happened, that has changed. I cannot do my job if I’m also concerned with your safety.”

Hell, he was doing it again. _In light of recent events….what’s happened…_ it wasn’t her that he was protecting, it was himself. Eva let her cigarette drop, using the heel of her shoe to drive it into the dirt. Finally she turned to look at him with cold, harsh eyes.

“And what is it that’s happened?”

Lunge wasn’t the only stone cold bastard in the world. She wouldn’t be satisfied until he said it, looked her in the eye and told her his damn self. 

“I’ve told you, I’m not entertaining this any lon--”

_CRACK._

Eva’s palm tingled, her hand slowly clenching into a fist as she glared, watching - with some satisfaction - as Lunge reached up to his reddened cheek. 

“Don’t give me that. You _tell_ me what happened. I want to hear you _say_ it, and I want you to look me in the eye when you do, or else I won’t hear another word.”

Eva could hear everything _except_ the man beside her in the seconds that followed. The faint whisper of wind, footsteps, rustling from the trees where a few mourners remained by Mrs. Suk, the distant sound of engines. She counted the seconds. If she hit ten, she was walking. If he wouldn’t face himself now, she’d do this alone. Maybe it was better that…

“The consecutive murders of two individuals close to me, specifically targeted because of their connections. Agent Jan Suk, who I had tasked to keep an eye on the police, and my own daughter. These were designed to dishearten and dissuade me. There are only two individuals left in the world left for me to lose. By removing you from the equation, I cannot be hurt. From now on, I will take this investigation alone.”

There it was. And with that confession, there was a change - faint tells in his voice, the look in his eyes. Sad and unsure and angry. She read between the lines - picked up what it was he was really saying. It wasn’t about wanting to protect Eva, or his ex-wife. It was feeling that _he_ couldn’t, that he was weak. It was his own fear, fear of failure. Fear of being the root cause of yet another murder.

Eva relaxed, pushing away from the wall and stepping toward Lunge. She reached out, her fingertips brushing where she’d bruised. Sometimes it took a slap in the face to get a man to listen, but she’d hurt a wounded man. Couldn’t say she felt any good about that. Didn’t regret it, but it wasn’t anything to be proud of. She traced the outline of his jaw, before letting her hand fall to her side.

“You can’t take this from me. It’s all I have left. Whoever it is, whoever killed them all...they took my family, my love, my friend. I’d been forced to move on, to live life with pieces missing. This is my chance to be whole again. You take that from me, and I’ll go back to living a half life. That’s no way to live. This is all I have to live for.”

She knew he understood. He’d been living the same, plagued by the past, pushing it back as best he could….but hell, he’d been worse off than her. Lunge lost everything. Eva at least managed to push those hollow pieces aside, got herself back on her feet. But nothing could fill that loneliness. 

This was the first she’d felt those hollow feelings ebb away. The first she’d felt she had hope. Lunge had no right to push her away now.

She watched him, watched as Lunge watched her. Processing, thinking...but what about? That unsure side of him was still raw, still there. 

“You’ll find something else.”

His answer came softly, lowly, but it wasn't what she wanted to hear.

She’d given him a chance. Eva closed her eyes, snapping her purse shut.

“It doesn’t really matter what you say or do. If you send me away with that ex wife of yours, I’ll be back by morning. I might be alive, or I might not. All depends on if they find me before I find them.”

The change in his demeanour was subtle - the slightest shift and he was tense, on edge. She’d put him in a hard spot. She could damn near hear his thoughts, saw the way his hand twitched. He had no way to win and he knew it. Eva smirked, closing the distance between them completely, one hand resting on his shoulder. 

“I’m not in the habit of letting men decide how I’ll live my life. I’m afraid you won’t be rid of me.”

With her other hand, Eva twisted her fingers around his tie, giving a sharp tug, easing him forward as she stood on her toes. She released his tie to let her hand brace against the back of is neck, stealing a kiss from the seemingly unsurprised inspector - a moment of passion to warm that cold exterior, to warm them both. The hand on his shoulder traced lower, inviting a response.

Silhouetted in the dark, Lunge returned the embrace after a few moments of thought, drawing her against him with a loose hold. The scene was bitterly ironic; it had been Suk to predict it, after all.

Lunge lowered his head, conceding victory to Eva as he pulled away, fixing his tie once more.

“I suppose I don’t have a choice.”

There was a hollowness to his voice, but at least now he sounded human. Eva touched his face again, delicate fingers soft against his skin.

“You really are a fool.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY EHEHE….they done did it. It only took 9 chapters oops
> 
> Also Grimmer exists finally! Y’all should be seriously proud of me for waiting this long. But will he survive this fic...


	10. Blood Bond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both sides are getting ready for the coming conflict.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit it’s been SO LONG I’m sorry y’all...I got tied up with other fics and now I’m finally back to this one! But I have the rest of it hashed out in bullet points so I know more or less where the rest of this one is going. 
> 
> This chapter is probably gonna be a little rough since it’s technically a transition chapter….the next big thing to happen will be the chapter after this one. This just has information and background stuff but it’s #important and whatnot.
> 
> This continues immediately after the last chapter's end

Didn’t know when it was he first felt the spark. Still hardly knew what it was. Eva was a woman of deadly beauty, there was no doubt. But he’d known that long ago. Lunge was the sort of man who could set passions aside, a real “working man” - no distractions, nothing to pull him away from the job. It made sense, why his wife left him; he was lonely company, not much of a husband or a father. But something was different now.

Wasn't sure when, or how, but Eva found a way inside, past his carefully placed defenses. She was clever as women were, and crafty - locked on his weakest points and pried them open gently, used her silver tongue and tender lips to ignite a part of himself he'd left to die. As they separated in that moment, he had to wonder when it was she’d bypassed his cold exterior. How long this had all been coming.

He felt that passion now, born again through her, but a part of him wondered if it was real - or if he was just a comfort, a temporary fix to ease a broken heart. He didn’t much care either way. Even if it was just for now, it made him feel a little more alive.

Those were thoughts to be pondered later. Now, he had a phone call to make, to someone who he was certain had no desire to hear his voice. It had been years since they last spoke, an absence that aged poorly. But Lunge had a job; bad blood or none, he knew that his ex-wife was at the greatest risk. She needed to leave.

It had taken a few rings before the chilled voice of his ex-wife reached his ears. There was no good way to go about it; telling her to leave with her new man required that he break her heart a second time. Karina’s death was never made public - a report was never filed to the police, and the body was never found. Hearing it from _him_...there was nothing worse. 

He could feel the pain in her sobs. Pain that melted into anger, loathing. He was never good with emotions, but these ones he could feel and hear. That part of her soul was dying, just as his had. Their daughter took a piece of each of them with her. 

_”It’s your fault. This is all….because of you.”_

It was. He'd had a choice. He hadn't chosen her.

_”How long has it been...how long have you been keeping this from me? Do you have anything else to say? Anything at all?”_

Lunge stayed silent, didn't speak a word. There was nothing that he could say.

_”You’re despicable.”_

He was.

_**”YOU'RE DESPICABLE!”**_

Lunge didn't fight back; he couldn't risk her hanging up, and if tearing into him kept her on the line, then so be it. He'd known it wouldn't be easy to reach her. He'd let her cut him into pieces till she was satisfied, till she was calm. She had to be able to listen to him; if raking him over the coals would do it then he'd wait it out.

There was a moment, the distant noise around them dulled and quiet. He heard a sound, briefly saw a flash of movement, and before he could respond, the phone in his hand was snatched away, the woman beside him taking matters into her own hands. She really was the unnameable flame, unpredictable and wild. 

“If you’re going to say that, you’ll come down and say it to his face. Look him in the eye. He lost as much as you did. And right now, you’re going to shut up and listen.”

Neither Heinrich nor the woman on the phone spoke, each palpably baffled by the gall that Eva possessed, interjecting in a quarrel that was hardly her business at all. All the same he dared not intervene; if fire was what she was, then he knew he would only get burned.

“He's neck deep in this case, and it only gets worse from here. He called you to warn you, so that you leave Dusseldorf and find somewhere safe, where you won’t be involved. He did that because he still cares for you. Think about what that means."

There was silence, no single party involved speaking a word for a minute, for longer. Finally, there was a lowered voice from the phone;

_”Put him back on.”_

Lunge couldn’t say what it was that brought the woman to act so rashly. It wasn’t her place. He took the phone once more, turning away from the prying eyes of current company. Eva was curious, but this was not a conversation for her to intrude upon again.

_”Heinrich.”_

Lunge relaxed his shoulders, closing his eyes.

“Ilse.”

_”Your new woman has a wild temper.”_

It certainly wasn’t a joke, but her tone wasn’t stern, either. Lunge huffed, glancing over his shoulder a moment. Eva looked unapologetic. 

“I do apologise for the interruption. It certainly wasn’t my intention.”

There was a pause, silent and tinged with some hollow emotion he couldn’t quite discern. It felt lonely. 

_”I know you loved her. I’m sorry, too.”_

They had come back to a suitable middle-ground, remaining now at a neutral despondency. 

_”I’ll talk to my husband. We’ll see about leaving.”_

Again there was a pause. Lunge could hear his own breathing.

_”Goodbye, Heinrich.”_

He didn’t have time to respond; there was a click, and the line was dead. Perhaps she didn’t want to hear any more. He couldn’t blame her. He’d done enough to ruin her, a long goodbye would only make it worse. 

He flipped his phone shut with a click, turning back toward Eva. She didn’t speak this time, waiting for him to act first. He thought back to the start of their conversation, to what Eva had said before. Her play to make sure they stayed together. Something about a reservation.

“I suppose it's to dinner, then.”

* * *

The establishment they dined at was certainly a spectacle. Nothing below the standards of a Heinemann. Upscale eating was never Lunge's style, but he could appreciate the refined look of it. Everything glistened like new. Glass chandeliers let off a faintly orange-red glow at each table, and most patrons were dressed to impress. Eva had flashed a smile to one of the servers on the way by - someone she knew, back in the day, when she lived like a queen.

Dinner itself would’ve been painful if not for the company - all overpriced and underserved. But that was just the way of things in the high society - flashing money for a miniscule morsel of something expensive. It wasn’t _his_ wallet taking the hit, but he felt the pain regardless. But the dinner itself...with everything behind them, it was a relaxing change. Just the two of them, sitting to eat in a quiet booth by the window. Nothing to disturb them.

They’d earned it. A little peace after another long day; Suk had just been put to rest...a kid, not someone who Lunge should’ve given such a burden to. Asking him to be his eyes on the police...he’d practically sent him in to die. If it was someone with a little more experience...but it wasn't. He'd made a mistake. Trusted someone too eager. Paid for it.

He half expected a question from Eva about it - about Suk, or about his mother. There was nothing; perhaps a choice not to intrude on affairs that weren’t hers, after the surprise earlier in the afternoon. A quiet dinner was perfectly suitable to the exhausted detective.

He walked her to the car, a few blocks down at the nearest rest stop that had any available lots. The sky was pitch dark, with only fogged starlight and brighter streetlights to illuminate them on their short walk. It wasn’t chilly, and the sky was nearly clear; a rare night, with even the moon shining down, lonely in the distance.

“It’s almost full.”

Eva was looking at the sky, at the moon. Lunge never thought her to be the sort of person who would pay much mind to the sky. But then he’d never been a stargazer himself. Wasn’t much else to do on a quiet night, though, so they were both out of their element. Lunge found his own gaze returning to that silvery shape so far away. 

“It’s not often you can see the moon like this.”

“Seems a little lonely. Just floating in the darkness.”

Somber thoughts at night seemed to draw a poetic side to Eva, a quieter appearance that no doubt came from all too much loss in her life, thoughts that weighed on her now more than ever. In her mind, she was the moon, he had no doubt.

Lunge let his gaze fall again, leading them past the last few street corners toward the parking space. “Perhaps. But the sun occupies that same dark world. It only shines brighter.”

He left his words as that, sparing not a glance to her to gauge her reaction as he led them toward the car.

* * *

As expected, the detective had chosen to keep to himself as much as possible throughout Suk's funeral. Though, Grimmer wasn't all that surprised...it had been some time, now, since he'd last seen the man; Lunge wasn't much to chat, certainly less so when he himself was wounded. He'd seen it quite plainly - Lunge had been avoiding him there, and he had in turn left the man well enough alone.

Though it did pose a problem....after all, what he knew...and what Lunge knew...together, they could probably put together quite a bit more than the police. But if that frighteningly sharp mind of his was dulled with pain, then it couldn't much be helped. For now he had only himself to rely on....not so bad, though he was definitely somewhat limited in all he could achieve.

He'd give Lunge a few days, take that time for himself to investigate what he could. There were definitely things that he'd grown curious about...

Lunge's choice to isolate information from the police - if Richard was to be believed - gave the impression that there was someone among them - or, perhaps, multiple someones - that he didn’t trust. But all things considered, Richard had said it himself - Suk’s murderer very likely knew insider information. The police were not to be trusted.

Suk had - as Richard said - started to introvert himself away from his colleagues. If even _Suk_ was suspicious of his cohorts, then someone had probably told him; he wasn’t a talentless detective, but he wouldn’t have noticed that sort of thing by himself. Suk wasn't programmed to think that fellow officers might be working against him. But the fact that he seemed to know, and yet stayed, working alongside the police...it certainly had an implication of its own.

Suk was conducting an internal investigation.

He had to wonder whose authority that had been on....Lunge, most likely, asking as a favour. Which meant, then, that he'd probably found something. Something that he wasn't supposed to know.

Richard had suggested that the killer chose him because he was the head of the Tenma case...but to Grimmer, it was starting to look a bit different.

...Well, Richard had invited him for drinks later this evening...he could investigate his suspicions there. Ah...and he needed permission to take a look around Suk’s old office, too.

* * *

This was really turnin' out to be a big mess...

Snuffing out the doctor’s life shoulda brought an end to it all. But there’d been a complication - a tricky woman in the mix, someone the doc had tried to warn. But he was naive; hadn’t thought too far ahead, never even considered that he’d die that night. Not till he was lyin' on the floor spittin’ up blood anyway.

He hadn’t told her nothin’ much - there’d’a been a team of police hounds on their trail if he had. She didn’t know anything - couldn’t name the killer if she wanted to. But she’d still gone to that Detective - the washed out sorry sack that had once been the man to fear, let go from his job as a disgrace. Not anybody that was taken serious these days.

Still, it couldn't be ignored. Even shamed, he was a threat - one of the only people who had a chance of putting all the pieces together. So, they had to go. Both of them. Disgraced detective Lunge, and the meddlesome beauty Eva Heinemann.

Eva didn’t have anyone that could be leveraged against her, not anyone who was left alive. But Lunge was vulnerable. Using his daughter should’ve worked, but he was a colder bastard than even Roberto had thought. He’d been real sure the threat of blowing his daughter’s brains out would’ve done him in.

She’d been dead quiet ever since then. Couldn’t blame the poor girl, her daddy gave her up to die for some broad chasing down a hopeless case. 

Keepin’ her alive had been Johan’s idea. Could still be useful, takin’ down her old man. She was well behaved; just a little threat, a little whisper that they could go track down her guy and her little boy easy, and she was happy to do what she was told. But damn, it’d be easier if the girl wasn’t such a depressing lump….

Roberto opened the door to her room. She looked like shit, like she ain’t been sleepin’ any. He clicked his tongue, reaching out and clapping her shoulder. She didn’t even flinch.

“Don’t look like that. Let’s see a smile. Your ol’ man wouldn’t want you lookin' all down like this.”

She didn’t say anything, didn’t even look up. She just kept staring at the wall in front of her. Hadn’t even acknowledged him since he opened the door. Looked a lot like her daddy like that, tight-lipped and sour-faced. He pulled his hand away, lumbering toward the armchair in the corner, sitting comfortably, idly flicking his gun in his hand. Just a little warning, so she didn’t get any ideas in that head of hers.

“Just one little smile. I ain't askin' for the world here.”

She didn’t answer, but she did look up, slowly turning to face him. It was jarring how much like her ol’ man she looked with that dour expression. Sure as hell didn't suit her face. 

“You’re just going to kill me later. Why not do it now.”

Damn, she was still on that. Roberto heaved a sigh, reaching into his breast pocket for a smoke.

“Can’t do that. You’re still useful. Your daddy didn’t come to your rescue, sure, but having you still does us a lotta good. You’ve got a real important part to play for us. Can’t dispose of you now. Not till the boss is done with you.”

“Then why are you here.”

Roberto sucked a breath through his teeth, stifling a chuckle as he blew smoke in her direction. 

“Sure playin’ it tough for somebody in your position. Really don’t think you should be talkin’ back at me like that. Just lucky for you that the boss says you're so important.” 

He took a drag from his cigarette, shrugging a shoulder. For a minute, he didn't speak, till he could tell she was listening fully. “Just came by with somethin’ you might like. Just a little news. The boss was out, saw your ol' man. He's lookin' well. Eatin' well too. Never thought he'd show up in a place like _that..._ ”

Her head shot up, eyes wide, mouth falling open to speak. Roberto waved a hand, chuckling.

"Relax, like I said, he's doin' fine. Can't kill him yet, you know."

Sure didn’t seem to put her at ease. She looked more on edge now, narrowing her eyes at him.

“Then why bother telling me. What else...” She swallowed, straightening her back, setting her jaw. “What _aren’t_ you telling me.”

Roberto chuckled, taking another drag of his cigarette and standing.

“Just that things are goin' like the boss planned. That means it'll be your turn, soon. And then I really _will_ kill ya.”

* * *

Anna...was conflicted. She understood what it was she had to do, but...

“I don’t know if I can do this. Not again. Not another one.”

Johan always seemed to know, when she was unsure of herself. He knew where to find her, too; the one place she found peace with her thoughts - the balcony overlooking the street far below. They both liked the view, looking down at the world with little more than a thin barricade between them and the fall.

For Anna, the noise was calming, the danger was grounding. She wondered if Johan felt the same, as he sat on the edge of the railing, hands only gently braced against the beam. 

“You struggled with Jan. It was hard for you to pull the trigger. Once they show emotion, you hesitate. It’s always been that way. Even back then, even with _him_.”

He was right, of course. He always was. Anna closed her eyes, letting the breeze carry her hair, mild and soothing. 

“When they’re afraid…”

She clutched a hand to her chest, taking a deep breath. She could see him, when she pulled the trigger, in the darkness behind her eyelids. He'd been crying, in the end. Slowly, she opened her eyes again.

“When they’re afraid, it’s like I see myself. They’re as scared as I was. But now I’m the one…”

She raised both hands, as though holding a gun, pointing it toward some unseen enemy. 

“They’re no different from me. When I'm holding the gun, I become just like _him._ I can’t….again.”

She heard rustling as Johan pushed off from the rail, stepping forward. He took Anna’s hand, caught her gaze with his own, deep blue hues. She felt calmer, just looking him in the eye.

“It won’t be long, now. Everything is coming to a close. You can rest, soon. But I need you to do this for me.”

He let go of her hand, standing back again, that same breeze catching his hair. 

“You’re the only one, Anna. The only one I trust with this. He was close to Jan. You can reach him. You both lost someone dear; he’ll trust you, because he empathizes. Use it to your advantage. Talk to him. He’s at his weakest now. You’ll find him at the bar tonight. Go there, and wait for him.”

There was a pause, Johan’s gaze turning down again. “When this is over...you won’t have to kill anyone else. No more, after him. I'm only sorry...that you have to kill at all.”

His voice...he had such a calming effect. Anna listened, nodding, absorbing his words. Johan….trusted her, and _only_ her with this task. It had to be her….and if it was for Johan…

It was only because of him that she was alive. Because of her brother….because he had come for her. He’d done what she could never have; he killed that man, took everything from underneath his very nose and used it to destroy him. He ripped apart everything that man had trusted, had made him feel true fear. All for taking Anna away.

She owed everything to her brother. He wanted nothing more than for them to be happy. It was all a part of his plan. Eisler Memorial Hospital….the murders, framing the doctor that had saved his life...her getting involved with that detective, to earn his trust, killing him….

It was so they could be happy. They were silencing the last people who could end that happiness. That was all there was to it. She had to do this for Johan, so they could be…

_No more, after this. One more kill. Then never again._

Anna took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, nodding her head.

“I’ll do it. I’ll shoot him.”

Johan didn’t answer at first, nodding slowly as he moved past her, hands clasped behind his back.

“Be careful, Anna.”

She stayed for a while longer, looking out over the darkness as it fell.

“I will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never did show Lunge's daughter getting shot did I. So take that she's still alive!!
> 
> Also a buncha background for people....but shit's about to hit the fan. There's only 4 chapters left so the chaos is coming


	11. Two Shots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grimmer and Lunge find their suspicions about the police confirmed, and are presented with a possible lead. It’s probably a trap, but is that really surprising?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are really getting rolling in this one! Surprisingly not really any warnings for this chapter. Implied offscreen death I guess

Another life. Another lost. And this time, there was no voice, no reassurance that this path was the right one.

Anna was alone now.

By the time she returned, Johan had left - gone with Roberto and their hostage and a handful of men. When her brother wasn’t around, this place...their mansion, just another treasure won from _that man_ , felt somehow empty. When she was alone, with only herself for company, she was forced to turn her thoughts inward, on herself. It made her think. It made the ghosts appear, memories that came to her, one by one. A haunted mansion with only herself and her sins.

She’d gone to the bar, just like Johan had asked. And there he was, a lonely man waiting for a friend. He had been happy to talk to her - “the girl that Jan was always on about” - and when the time came...he’d been easy to kill. A drink or two down...she never missed a target, and no stumbling man would be her first.

Just like that, she’d silenced one more person who could take away their happy life. But...

He had left behind a family of his own.

Braun had a wife and daughter. They’d been a family. 

Suk had a mother. She’d already lost her husband, and now her son. Ghosts crowded her in every room. Her reflection stared back in every window and mirror - a vampire, stealing the happiness from others, sucking the light away from their lives to make herself shine just a little more. She was taking loved ones away. It really was no better than back then. 

He’d said it was done. No more killing, not from her. She was done. She could shed the siren’s guise and become Anna once again.

But it wasn’t over, not yet. The reflection in the window blinked and for a moment Anna saw her brother. He promised her no more killing...but it was only because he took the mantle of the vampire for himself. The plan, that girl...

They were destroying the detective, taking everything from him, before they took his life. And with him gone, Ms. Heinemann would have no one left at all in the world. Just a husk to be disposed of. 

Anna...Anna only wanted to be happy with her brother. Just to live peacefully, quiet and undisturbed, shadowed out of sight in a wicked city. And they’d had it, for a while, until that doctor...until Tenma…

The brightest light had shone into the darkness and exposed them. Tenma was a good man, a _naive_ man; he didn't understand. This was a place where justice died long ago; taking up its mantle only meant he’d find his grave that much sooner.

Should’ve kept quiet. Should never have reached out. He challenged the devil and the devil always took more than what was due.

Anna looked at her reflection in the window - the haunted eyes that looked back at her, tired and longing. She needed sleep. She still had a part to play, and she needed to prepare.

* * *

Bodies were dropping on the daily. Didn’t seem anybody was safe, nobody with a connection to the ol’ doc’s investigation. It really was a question of who’d be next at this point, who the killers had their sights on.

But for it to be Braun...

The idea there was a snake among the police sure seemed that much more likely. 

Maybe it was a fool's move for him to be here then, sniffing around the station for information, but Wolfgang Grimmer never credited himself as the cautious type. 

The station was empty - except for one kid, some young guy who looked dead on his feet. Probably had ‘em all working overtime with the crisis on their hands. Two officers down, just like that. Apparently they were scrambling at the scene - almost everybody was out. He’d been lucky that the chief was in - if there was anybody on the team who knew anything, that’d be the man. Though Grimmer had some ideas about that, too.

Maybe it was just his old ways, habits he couldn’t kick, but that one part of his mind couldn’t help but think...it’d be real perfect for the baddies if their eyes on the inside had that kinda power.

And who was he not to follow a hunch? At worst he could get an inside scoop. Assuming that he got the guy talking anyway.

The chief’d been a little wary about it - wasn't up to talking to the press just yet, they were still just picking up the peices. But when he’d said he and Braun were pals, and that he might have some pertinent information to the investigation, he seemed a little more interested. So, the Chief invited him in for a chat.

“Coffee for ya?”

Chief Detective Zeman - whose height rivalled Grimmer’s, rare even among taller folks - was looking him over on the walk to his office, a concerned weariness about him. Grimmer shook his head, raising a hand dismissively. “Nah, none for me. The last thing I need is any more caffeine in me right now. I’d be on my third and it ain’t even midday.”

The police chief chortled, stopping in front of a door and pushing it open, gesturing toward his guest. He was walking right into the lion’s den, but that was the risk he chose to take.

“Well, that’s fine then, just take a seat while I make one for me. Haven’t slept since yesterday if I’m being honest.”

Grimmer didn’t doubt it. Zeman had been close to both Suk and Braun - losing the both of them so soon had to be a blow. He took a seat opposite Zeman, scanning his desk with a meticulous eye. Family photo with him and his wife, some untidy papers, ashtray, a pencil and some nail clippers. Real average looking place.

He blinked as a glass of water was set down in front of him, though didn’t say a word as the chief sat himself down behind his desk, taking his coffee to his lips.

“Figured water’s better than nothing. Anyhow, let’s get this over with. What’s it you’re after?”

Grimmer took the water, but didn’t drink it, not yet. He glanced out toward the window, at the minimal light that shone through the blinds. He almost thought about opening them, just a little, just so he had a view from outside.

“I’ll start by saying I appreciate this. I know it’s not regular practice. As for what I want…”

Grimmer turned his attention forward, facing the police chief, crossing one leg over the other. He needed to choose his words carefully. He didn’t want to reveal too much, or give the wrong impression. But this was a game of give and take. If he wanted something from the lion, he needed to offer something first, something good.

“Braun and I were talking, came to the same conclusion. You might’ve guessed too: that whoever’s here killing your guys has inside information. We’re looking at somebody with access to police records. _And,_ ” Grimmer paused, setting the water back down, still untouched. “I have good reason to believe we may be looking at a woman murderess. Least for Suk’s case.”

Didn’t say a word about his other theory - Suk’s possible internal investigation of the police was something he wasn’t gonna give away just yet. Zeman seemed to take interest, gulping down his coffee with a grunt and a cough, pounding his chest with a fist.

“Damn. Down the wrong...anyways, what’s that about a lady? Where’s that coming from?”

Grimmer clasped his hands in his lap, looking the detective dead in the eye. 

“It’s something Braun told me, the night before. Something about the look of the scene - like Suk had invited his killer inside. He could be dense, but he wasn’t stupid. Wouldn’t just up and invite any old nobody into his home. _Unless_ it’s a woman we’re dealing with. You know how he was. Sure never been _popular_ with the ladies, but he’d damnwell do anything for ‘em.”

Maybe he was letting on a little much, but if he was gonna play this game, there had to be some truth there. Had to make sure the chief trusted him. Zeman took in all he was saying, tapping his fingers on the desk and humming. 

“So you figure he got iced by a lady assassin. Maybe somebody working with a police officer who wanted him dead. What for? Not like the kid was involved in anything. He was a good guy. Didn’t really make enemies.”

Grimmer drummed the desk in front of him, shaking his head. “No, you’re right. But he _did_ head the Tenma investigation. Figure there might be somebody trying to spook the cops outta trying to solve it, or else send a message.”

There was a short pause, Zeman leaning back in his chair. He picked the clippers off his desk, mindlessly starting at his nails - clearly some sort of distraction, Grimmer could tell the guy was agitated. 

“So then. What’s your thought? Braun knew too much, so they killed him too? How’d they know? Braun ain’t the type to lip off to just anyone.” 

So far seemed like the chief was on his side. If he was wrong on that hunch, at least he’d be getting some good information, pieces he could put together. Grimmer picked up his water glass, tapping it with a finger. 

“I’d say so. We were supposed to meet last night to talk a little more. Figure he found something out they didn’t want known.”

There was a hum. “So the key to all this is Suk, then. Something’s there they wanna hide.”

Zeman leaned forward, looking over Grimmer with a creased brow. 

“He tell ya anything else? Anything that might be a clue. You said you were gonna meet him for drinks last night, he say he what he found? Somethin’ about how Suk mighta known this blondie, if it might be anybody he knew.”

Blondie.

Hell…

Grimmer sure hadn’t said anything about her looks, whoever she was. So where Zeman got that from was a mystery. What he’d said about Braun...how he knew too much, and that was why he turned up cold this morning...if _he_ was in over his head, then Grimmer definitely was, no doubt. And shut in with the lion…

Dang, that really had been a poor choice.

Zeman knew something even Grimmer hadn’t been clued in on. Maybe a slip, maybe he thought Braun told him more. “Blondie”...that was a detail he couldn’t miss. And that question just now...any extra clues that Grimmer might have...he'd find out how far the leak had spread, then shoot him dead. Probably did the same with Braun the day before.

Sat here in a cozy office, Grimmer was chatting up with the devil’s right hand man, unarmed. 

One wrong move and he was the next one in the ground. Grimmer took another look around, slowly setting down his glass of water again. The blinds were drawn shut, door closed, and the station was empty except for that young guy out front. He’d sure walked himself into hell this time. But maybe…

“Yeah. But it’s better that I show you, easier to explain. Think you can come with me?” He paused, glancing over at the chief. “If you can spare a little time outta the office that is. I know you said you were busy. I don’t mind coming back later.”

Zeman clicked his tongue, shaking his head. “Might be best if you give me the brief. Can’t afford to go out on any kinda ventures when the station’s already operating on minimum manning. It’ll be easier if you give me the details, I’ll have my guys check it out.” 

So, he was already onto Grimmer, then. The journalist relaxed, standing and walking toward the window. He lifted one of the slats, gazing at the mid-morning sun and the smoke rising into the sky, then down to the cars passing on the street.

“And then you’re gonna shoot me, right?”

He could feel the change in the atmosphere. Heard as Zeman shifted, standing up himself.

“Could just shoot you now.”

Grimmer heaved a sigh, turning slowly with his hands raised. Sure enough, the chief’s pistol was staring him down. His eyes flicked toward the door.

“Don’t know that’s a good choice. Don’t think the new guy’ll be all too pleased to see his boss shoot a man down right here in headquarters. Doesn’t paint a good picture, you know.”

The response he received was a chuckle. “There won’t be any witnesses. You’re the cop killer. Shot an on duty officer in broad daylight, right here in police headquarters, before you were taken down by me.”

Ah, so that was how he was gonna play it, then. Grimmer sighed, keeping an eye on the door. 

“He looked up to you, you know. Suk saw you as someone to be admired. You used to be someone great. So why go so far? What do you get out of this?”

Zeman quirked a brow, waving his gun in Grimmer’s direction. “We’re not playing this game. Siddown and talk. What else do you know?”

Grimmer obliged, backing toward the chair, but he didn’t make it quite that far before the door opened, followed by a familiar baritone drawl.

“Quite the scene I’ve intruded upon, Chief Inspector Zeman.”

The chief snapped his attention toward the door, taken off guard by the unexpected arrival.

It was all Grimmer needed.

With a swift step forward, he grabbed the hand holding the gun, forcing it up and away from himself as he used his rear leg to drive his knee into the Chief’s stomach. Zeman released the gun with a grunt, doubling over, and Grimmer kicked the weapon away. It skidded toward the door, stopping when a black heeled shoe caught it underfoot. With the chief now bent double, Grimmer could more easily make out his saviors; one detective Lunge, and the lovely miss Eva Heinemann, reaching down to pick up the weapon. She looked down on the crooked bastard with a sharper gaze, holding the gun idly as she bored holes into his skull with a look that spoke murder.

“Don’t think you’ll be needing this. Or that badge of yours.”

She turned the pistol on him without second thought, stepping around in front of him while Lunge pulled the door shut. Grimmer was content to stand back and let the woman go to town; he’d done enough and she looked like she might turn that fire on him if he said a word.

“The kid found you out, did he? So you killed him. But that wasn’t enough. Braun knew something, and now he’s dead, too. You tried to cover your tracks.” 

She gave a crimson smirk, a devilish chuckle leaving her lips. 

“But it didn't work. You’ve been caught. So now, you're going to tell us everything. Who it is that killed Kenzo, and who killed Lunge’s daughter.”

Zeman got back to his feet, but didn’t make any move; he was more than outmatched with the three of them there. Sure didn’t look the same as mere minutes ago, holding Grimmer at gunpoint; the tables had turned and he was the one on the ropes.

He allowed Lunge to direct him toward the chair, sitting down reluctantly as Grimmer rummaged around for something in the man’s office. He found what he was looking for, and tossed a pair of handcuffs to Lunge. Zeman made a face.

“You think this is such a good idea? Diggin’ around is just gonna get more people killed.”

There was a sneer from Eva, a sound nearly like a cackle. This was a different Eva from the woman Grimmer had met so long ago; she wore a jagged edge to her, sharp enough to cut with barely a word. And right now, that blade was turned on Zeman.

“ _You_ of all people have no right to those words. Start talking.”

There was a deadly silence for a moment, then Zeman closed his eyes, barking out a laugh that sounded humourless, tired.

“Can’t give ya what you want. You got the wrong guy for that.”

Grimmer walked over to the window, drawing the blinds open just enough that he could see, to keep an eye out for any visitors. From the corner of his eye he caught Eva advancing a step, the chief’s pistol up against his temple.

“Then tell us who the right guy _is._ ”

Seemed that did the trick. Zeman jerked his head back with a mutter of something under his breath.

“My point of contact’s this chick. Young, blond...she’s the one who made the hit on Suk and Braun, not me. Anna...you know...she was Suk’s girlfriend. Talk about a cold-blooded kinda broad. I give her what I know and I get paid. Whatever they do with what I tell ‘em’s not my business. So whatever it is you’re lookin’ for...the man behind it all or whatever...where you’re gonna find him...you find Anna, you might get better luck.”

There was a moment, the atmosphere suddenly becoming tense and sick. It permeated darkly from the former inspector, bubbling up palpably like poison clouds. Eva found herself nudged aside, a gesture she protested until she saw the look on Lunge’s face - cold, in a way she’d never seen. She watched as he took her place, standing in front of Zeman, leering down at him with those frigid eyes.

“You told her where to find my family.”

Zeman’s face sobered, his eyes falling. He was looking at the window longingly, like he wanted to throw himself through it. He didn’t speak, but he didn’t need to. The guilty glaze in his eyes was enough. Lunge grabbed him by the collar, fist clenching around the material tight enough for his knuckles to whiten. He leaned in close, teeth bared in a snarl, Zeman trying to shrink away.

“We were colleagues, once upon a time. You’re one of the few remaining active officers who is aware of my family. Do you know why my daughter was murdered?”

Lunge’s voice was chilled, like whispers of death. The tone was soft, but a violent energy laced every syllable. Zeman opened his mouth, shaking his head, but no words left, suffocated by the power of Lunge’s presence. 

“It’s because you told them where to find her.”

He released Zeman with a push, throwing both the man and the chair to the ground with a crash.

“You’re going to tell me where to find her. The blonde woman.”

There was an uncharacteristic violent ferocity to Lunge’s voice, as he reached to take the gun from Eva, only for the woman to snap it back, moving aside. She sensed something then, a danger in Lunge. Before he could make another move, Zeman was already answering, cowed under the pressure of Lunge’s threat.

“I don’t know. She comes to _me._ I’m just the information guy, ya think they’d let me know anything important like that? _But-_ ”

He threw the _but_ in hastily as Lunge reached toward him, hesitating as the man started to speak again.

“....I know they got a hostage. Yeah, heard her talking somethin’ bout a lady they abducted. Somebody you know. I know where she’s bein’ moved.”

The fire and aggression about Lunge sputtered out, replaced instead with a chill deeper than the last. He stared down at the police chief, fallen from his pedestal.

“I certainly hope for your sake that this is no _lie_.”

* * *

They left Zeman cuffed to his chair when they departed from the station. The kid on duty knew everything; with any luck, the force would be called in for a proper internal investigation, but in the back of their minds they wondered if that would be enough. After all, Zeman was compromised; wouldn’t be surprising if the next corpse was his.

“It’s definitely a trap, you know.”

Grimmer’s voice was solemn as he took the lead, drawing them down back alley streets - best way to stay out of sight, even in broad daylight. It was a maze to anyone who wasn’t familiar, but Grimmer knew them like he knew himself. Couldn’t make his miraculous escapes without some handy tricks like that.

“I know. But I don’t have a choice.”

Where they ended up was a quiet, lonely looking hotel. Bit run down, bit shabby, but not the kinda place that attracted much attention. A good place for them to chat. Grimmer had been staying there since he started snooping around - probably to keep his wife and son out of sight. He brought the pair to his room - not too high up, with a real crummy kinda view out the window. Not that present company cared.

Once the door was shut, Lunge was first to break the silence. Despite the tension in the air he seemed unfazed.

“I have to go. But there’s no reason for the two of you to join me. It’s a trap, like you say.”

Eva and Grimmer exchanged looks. Didn’t take a genius or anybody with half a brain to know how stupid that was, things being as they were. Eva raised her head, looking down at Lunge over the bridge of her nose, and scoffed.

“You’re not a _fool._ So don’t start acting like one now.”

Silence followed, the two turning piercing gazes on each other. There was something to be said even without words, but she used them anyway.

“If it’s a trap, then that’s all the more reason you need support. The way you were acting at the station...” She levelled him with a sharper gaze. “You were rash and emotional. You would’ve shot him dead if you had your way. It wasn’t like you. They’ve got her, your ex-wife. They’ve cornered you with your last weakness. If you go alone, you _will_ die.”

She reached confidently and linked her arm with his, eyes not once leaving the detective's face.

“And that can’t happen. I can’t have you dying. You’re mine until this case is through.”

Lunge took the words in carefully, as carefully as he took in her own appearance. His hand came up to meet hers, his eyes falling, a sign he had resigned himself to defeat.

“I’m not the sort of man to go back on his word. I suppose I have no choice.”

A barely-heard cough had their attention drawn away, escaping the magnetism of one another’s presence to recall that they were no longer alone in their investigation. Eva turned with kinder eyes to regard the journalist, almost nostalgic.

“I’m surprised we found you of all people there. The last time that I saw you…”

She trailed off, wistful, as she glanced out the window of the hotel room, out over the fading afternoon glow in the dingy streets.

“He was still alive then.”

The lanky man breathed a sigh, walking to join her by the window just then. He could see the lonely look about her, understood it well enough. He gave her shoulder a little pat.

“The fact that this involves him should be enough to know I’d be somewhere snooping around. And after Suk’s death, Richard filled me in on the rest.” He smirked, glancing toward Lunge. “You had him investigating the police, didn’t you? And he found something. Something that got him killed, by the blonde woman.”

There were no words from Lunge, but there didn’t need to be. His guilt in the boy’s death was tangible; he saw himself responsible. Responsible for his, for Braun’s, and nearly for Grimmer’s death, too. The journalist took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

“At least we’ve got a lead, now. Even if it’s probably dangerous.”

A lead. It was more than that. It was a threat, yet another piece of Lunge’s life to be siphoned away. They were killing each and every light that ever shone for him, taking him apart piece by piece. But not this one. He was done _losing._ There would be no more blood on his hands. He’d sooner take the bullet himself.

But….

“You should leave now. I took this case, not you. Don’t stick your neck out any more than you’ve already done.”

Solemn words were spoken not toward anyone, but Grimmer knew he was their target nonetheless. He scratched at his cheek, stepping away from the window for a moment.

“I thought we just agreed you can’t be doing this alone.”

Lunge turned slowly, his face obscured as the light shone at the back of his head, engulfing his face in darkness.

“You have a family. They’re still alive. Don’t start chasing vengeance for dead men when there’s more for you to live for. Go on back home.”

Heavy words spoken from a place of pain and grief. Grimmer could respect those words, but turning away now, even for their sake...it did no good, living with regrets. He retreated to his bag, fishing around for something in one of the pockets.

“I can do that,” he started, tilting his head back so Lunge could hear, “after this is done. Can’t rightly leave you and your lady knowing that you’re walking into a trap. I’m making sure you both come out in one piece. Then I’ll disappear, like always.”

There was no give in his voice, no room to debate. Finally, Lunge nodded.

“We use this place as our headquarters for now. They won’t be looking for us here. We’ll take some time to rest, then we leave after dark.”

* * *

The address the disgraced chief had given them turned out to be an old warehouse. Not much surprise there, the way these types worked. The only question the inspector had was just what sort of trap they were walking into.

They kept to the walls, creeping between buildings toward the looming shape of the warehouse, inviting and treacherous. There was a trap inside, he was absolutely certain. But if Ilse was there, it didn’t matter.

With his back to the nearest building, he signalled toward the other two, watching them slink in the dark until they were beside him. The warehouse stood opposite to them, its door slightly ajar, its front-facing windows shut tight. He couldn’t see anything through the dark above, but he could imagine they were being watched.

“The fact we haven’t been shot at yet is certainly telling.”

Grimmer’s voice was an echo of Lunge’s own thoughts. He glanced back toward his companions, both the journalist and Eva, armed and ready. Indeed, the windows made for an ideal place to shoot from. This confrontation was to take place within; it had long been decided by those that had set this trap in the first place.

“Remember to keep your eyes open. We’re all targets now. They have a bullet for each of us.”

With a brief, final warning, Lunge kicked the door in, leading with his gun. He couldn’t see anyone - not immediately at least, but it was more of an open space than he anticipated. Windows lining the walls illuminated the interior of the warehouse - dusty and barren, almost empty along the walls, providing no cover at all. There were pillars, wide enough to hide a man, but only barely. Two sets of stairs at the front and rear of the warehouse led up to some sort of upper level steel grate catwalk that ran all the way around the perimeter - the perfect place to pick each of them off, like shooting fish in a barrel. 

He gestured to the others, all three falling back so they were against the wall. 

“Catwalk. We need to get to higher ground. It’s impossible to see what’s up there without-”

“Damn, _all_ of you showed up. Almost too good, ain’t it? Didn’t expect ya so soon, but we’ll make this work.”

All three were on alert. The voice had definitely come from above, both Lunge and Eva immediately training their weapons toward the catwalk. With the dust in the air and the natural shadows cascading above, it was almost impossible to make out any figures. Eva had gone tense, her hand shaking just slightly as she stared into the darkness.

“That’s him.” 

Her voice was low, a hiss that was nearly a growl.

“He’s the one on the phone. The one who did all this.”

Lunge didn’t need to be told. He remembered it clearly - the calm, jeerinig voice that had called him cold-blooded, not moments after ending the life of his daughter. There was a fire ignited in them both, a bloodlust for that man. 

“I’ll admit, you messed our plans a little with your buddy here. Weren’t expectin’ him and Braun to get involved, but we'll just have to move things along early.”

So, then, it was a trap, like they had thought.

Lunge gestured toward the catwalk silently, starting toward the stairs. Eva and Grimmer kept their eyes up, looking for movement. If this was meant to be a trap, to catch them and kill them here, it was oddly _silent._ As if they were waiting for something. The inspector kept his gun ahead of him, eyes forward, flicking around the room from time to time.

“Would you be the one the blonde woman answers to?”

Grimmer’s voice rang in the silent warehouse, a move to push the mystery man into talking. As he spoke, he gestured toward the top of the stairs, to the farthest corner of the catwalk. Undoubtedly he’d seen something. Lunge, the first to step out onto the steel grate, could see it now, too.

It was hard to make out - the light filtering in through the windows was obscured, the moon behind heavy cloud cover. But there was something crouched there. Something that looked distinctively human.

From that angle, they would have had a perfect shot as soon as the three walked through the door. A shot they hadn’t taken. There was something about this that felt wrong, a sickly gut feeling only made worse by the continued silence.

“I’m not like Zeman. You mighta got him blabbing but that ain’t gonna work with me. So let’s….settle this like men.”

All at once the overhead lights came on, bright and blinding in the utter dark, and with light came noise - gunshots from above and below. There was no time to adjust to the bright light; the three moved quickly, Lunge diving backward into the corner, where he at least was out of sight from most angles. Even blinded, he’d been doing this long enough to know the major blind spots.

He pushed himself upright, taking a shot down through the grate, toward one of the pillars. He could hear Eva’s voice - coming from the stairs; so, she was retreating back down to the ground floor. She was probably trying to draw them out. He didn’t hear Grimmer, but the journalist was somewhere. Lunge’s eyes were slowly adjusting, allowing him to take in information more clearly.

That figure on the other end of the catwalk still wasn’t shooting. Hadn’t moved at all. And from his viewpoint, immediately opposite to the huddled figure, it was clear they had some sort of cloth or bag over their face, hands behind their back…

To think she was out in the open...

“Damn.”

He caught movement from the corner of his eye, and barely managed to duck out of the way as a bullet whizzed by. He’d lost track of what was happening around him, hadn’t noticed the shift of the other men in the room. He managed to catch himself, turning to take a shot in the direction of his attacker, only to see them crumple.

“Keep your head on!”

Grimmer’s voice was loud, not his usual laidback tone. Rarely was he the sort to raise his voice, but these were different circumstances. They were fighting for their lives, and he was right; there was a bullet with his name on it and he wasn’t about to catch it.

“The hostage is here. Far side of the catwalk. Keep-”

He turned, taking a shot through the grate. He’d caught sight of movement below, managing a shot on the goon before he could pull the trigger. There was a yelp and the man crumpled, clutching his leg.

“-the fire away from her.”

“You got it.”

Between Grimmer and Lunge alone, there wasn’t much chance for the shooters to survive. There were some six to ten of them - not a smart number to take out a pair of professionals. Even Eva could handle a gun. These guys were chump change, gangsters who barely knew what they were doing. If this was a trap designed to kill them, it wasn’t too well planned.

Then again, they’d said as much - that they were earlier than anticipated. Could be they were lucky, managed to finish off the first wave of goons before the trap could be sprung proper.

Didn’t know how long it was before the echoes of gunshots finally stopped. If there was anybody left, they were keeping dead quiet. The lights had been shot out halfway through the fight, leaving them mostly in the dark again; wouldn’t be hard to say someone was hiding, even now, but the chances seemed pretty low. The three kept an eye out just in case. Grimmer had his back to a wall, Eva adjacent to him, eyes on the catwalk. Lunge was halfway up the stairs, making the ascent himself.

“I thought...there’d be more.”

Eva’s voice was a little breathless, but then they were all on edge; they counted and recounted the number of shots taken, the number of mooks they’d counted that hit the ground. It seemed to add up, but that didn’t mean anything to paranoid minds. 

For now, the priority was the hostage.

Lunge climbed the rest of the steps, eyes on the figure huddled in the corner. He could tell when she noticed him - the woman froze completely, so that he couldn’t even hear her breathing. He crouched in front of her, taking a deep breath, speaking in a slow and gentle voice.

“It’s all right now. You’re going to be all right. I’m going to help you.”

He could see the woman start to tremble despite his words. It was a natural response.

“I’m going to remove the bag now.”

He let her know his intentions first - unable to see or move, she was no doubt in a state of terror; if she at least knew the intentions behind his touch, there was less to fear. Lunge reached out slowly, lifting the bag from her face. Her head was bowed, hair matted and clinging to her forehead, but even then...even without looking up...but when she _did…_

“K...Ka…”

There was a shout from behind him. A shot rang out. Then a second. 

He hit the ground before he felt the bite of the bullet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :) See you for the next chapter hope you liked the ending!!!!!


	12. Lighter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lunge has been shot, leaving the group a man down. The team is forced to regroup and assess the current situation; is it really wise to proceed, without the aid of their keenest mind?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somewhat detailed descriptions of blood in this one

_Heinrich..._

“Lie him down on the couch. Just like that.”

It was always the men with someone to miss them. They were always the first to go.

But he made a promise. Lunge had made a _promise_ to Eva, and he was damn well keeping it.

Eva pulled the buttons of the detective’s shirt, careless if they came unthreaded; the shirt was a ruined thing, blood-soaked from the untreated wound. A damp rag was thrown her way and she caught it, not sparing a glance towards Grimmer, though she heard him rummaging around out of sight. In this moment, she had eyes only for Lunge.

“Use that to stop the bleeding. Don’t be gentle about it, you really gotta lay on the pressure. Keep holding it till I get something better to wrap it with. Miss Lunge, keep your eyes on the window.” 

She did as told, taking the white rag to the wound - smaller than she’d thought, though she hadn’t had to look at injuries like this so closely before. To think so much blood could come from something so small...humans were so fragile, in the end.

She held the cloth over the injury and pressed down with considerable force. She could feel and smell the blood, slick and coppery, soaking through the rag and sticking to her fingers. 

This had been _his_ job, he was the one who used his hands to create miracles. Presented with a body on the verge of failure, Kenzo was the one that could bring it back. Eva didn’t know what she was doing, not really. If Heinrich lived, it really _would_ be a miracle. She could no more mend his body than his heart.

A shadow moved in her peripheral vision and Eva jerked her head around to face it. Of course, it was only Grimmer, coming back with a roll of gauze and tape. He crouched at her side, eyes narrowed and intense.

“Give it another minute, and then let’s take a look." His gaze shifted, looking out at someone or something Eva couldn't see. "Miss Lunge, any sign of the ambulance?”

A silence followed that stretched on several moments. Eva caught herself staring at her hands, where the blood had started to congeal. She rubbed her fingers together, watching as red flaked off, papery and a little sticky. _His_ blood.

“Miss Lunge.”

Eva started zoning in and out then, mind swimming. How this all had happened…

* * *

It had felt like slow-motion. There were two shots, two echoes, a scream, and then Lunge was down. Shot by someone from below, a wily snake who was smart enough to keep quiet, hidden in the shadows.

Looking down from on the catwalk, Eva had caught movement - not fast enough for a glimpse of the bastard, but the door they’d come in through was ajar. They probably figured it was easier to pick off one and get out than try their hand in a three-on-one shootout. Whoever took Heinrich down was getting away, but there was no time to chase them; if it was between the gunner and the inspector, there was no competition. He wasn’t _allowed_ to die, simple as that.

It was funny; this was all for vengeance. Whoever that faceless nobody was, he’d been in on those murders. Lunge’s daughter, Tenma. Maybe even Martin, even back then. Here she was now, with a chance to take him down, and instead she turned her back.

If revenge was at the expense of Heinrich, there was no point. She wouldn’t drench her hands in the blood of yet another good man.

“Shit. Missed. Think I got his arm...”

Eva didn’t care enough to pay much mind to what the journalist meant. She’d crossed the grate to where Lunge was lying, eyes on the girl who’d somehow startled him.

Eva felt her own heart skip a beat. That face...

No wonder the detective took a fall. Must’ve thought he’d seen a ghost.

It was all starting to click now. They’d never found Karina’s body, never thought much of it. But now, what the police chief said, about a hostage...he’d never said a word about who it might’ve been. They faked the kill, all to pull the rug out from under Heinrich when it mattered most. Using his little girl to tear down his defenses…he was no bleeding heart kind of man, but where his daughter was concerned his heart was weak. 

All it took was one moment, just a second when the shields were down. One bullet.

Eva started with the daughter, using the keys in her purse to cut through the ropes that held the girl. Red wrists and purpled bruises marred the skin underneath. Eva was no mother herself - wasn’t the type, never felt the call like her father said she would - but she felt her stomach twist in sharp, coiled knots just looking at her. Mistreating a woman was crass, the act of a classless low-brow scoundrel. Mistreating a _girl_ fell even lower still. Men like that...she'd love to grind them into the dirt with the heel of her shoe and watch them drain into the gutter like the filthy waste they were.

A shadow passed beside her and Eva jerked, ready to spit venom, barely reeling herself in when she realized it was Grimmer, assessing the situation with a somber look that seemed so strange on him.

“It could’ve been worse, but he’s losing blood. He needs to be looked at, but we can’t afford to treat him here. Need to get him back to the room first.”

Grimmer was helping the girl to her feet, though she didn’t seem quite able to stand on her own. She was shaky, knees knocking. With all she’d gone through it was no wonder, but Eva could only extend so much sympathy right now. She was gonna have to pick herself up or her father wasn’t gonna make it. Her gaze shifted up to Grimmer.

“Can you carry him?”

The response was a bitterly amused huff.

“Don’t really think I got much of a choice.”

_“I...can walk.”_

The inspector’s voice came in a low wheeze - a sad sound, but audible to all. He was conscious, and at least aware enough to understand what was being said. 

The fool didn’t know when to quit. 

His eyes opened slowly and he peered up, gaze lazily searching for either Eva or Grimmer, landing on the latter first.

“Help me up.”

Karina made a sound, mouth opening and closing without much more than shocked noises leaving her lips. Grimmer patted her shoulder, leaving her to support herself while he turned his attention on the injured, vaguely conscious man.

The process was slow; Grimmer tried his best to keep from agitating the wound, helping Lunge first to his knees, then to a standing position, his arm firmly around the other man’s shoulders.

"You're lucky it's nowhere vital, but you _certainly_ won't be walking. Lean on me."

Eva had gone to crouch by Karina, who had dropped back down to her knees. She put a hand on the girl’s shoulders, gently but firmly, trying to catch her attention. It was almost instantaneous, the nervous thing snapping her gaze up just like that.

“Calm down. We can’t have any more of that. Your father’s gonna be okay as soon as we get him to a doctor. But the longer we have to wait on you, the less likely that’s gonna be. So woman up and get your head on straight. Just till we get outta here. You can cry all you need once we’re safe.”

Felt a bit harsh, but Eva had never been the ‘warm and soft’ motherly type. Wasn’t good with kids of any age and she sure didn’t know what to do to calm them down. 

The girl took it about as well as anybody could, in a situation like that. Got herself and her shaky legs upright and then standing, but she sure didn’t look any good. Better than her father, who was barely on his feet. He held the wound with one hand, leaning heavily on Grimmer as he made his way down from the catwalk, nice and slow.

Eva and the younger Lunge took the other set of stairs on the far side, reaching the floor considerably faster than the men. Eva toed at shards of glass with her shoe. 

“Careful where you step. It’s a mess down here.”

She kept an eye out for any more last minute shooters, holding her gun with one hand, the other half-dragging Lunge’s daughter by the arm; she just couldn’t seem to get her footing. No saying how long she was like that, her legs were probably still asleep.

Eva lowered down to a crouch, peering beyond the door to see if there was anything waiting for them. All that met her was the empty dark, dimly lit street under a grey, smoggy sky. She pushed the door open the rest of the way, waiting as Grimmer and Heinrich followed up behind her. She kept that hold on her gun, really the only person in a position to take a shot if they ran into trouble. And by the way the night had gone she damn near expected it. She lowered her voice, trying to sound just the least bit soft for Karina, shocked as she was.

“We got a little walking ahead of us. Hug the walls and stay out of the light. Once we’re in the car you call us an ambulance. Tell ‘em to meet us at the hotel. You got that?”

She got a quiet nod as a reply. Didn’t think she’d get anything more, but it was affirmation enough.

* * *

Looking back, she couldn’t believe they escaped. No way in hell was it that easy; with a wounded man, there should’ve been more. It put her on edge, wouldn’t let her settle down. There _was_ more. They just hadn’t seen it yet.

The sound of rustling fabric and a second presence near her own drew Eva’s focus, slightly tense as Karina came to join her. She took to her knees by the couch, looking over her father with a guarded expression. She had that face he sometimes wore, when he was thinking. Up close, they looked more alike than she would've thought.

“They're not here yet. They should've arrived by now.”

Grimmer took her place by the window, seemingly aware that the girl just wanted to be with her father for a little while. He didn’t argue; there was nothing unreasonable about that.

“It won’t be long. He’ll be in a proper hospital soon. We at least got him stable, so try to relax. I’ll keep an eye out.” He stared at his own reflection in the window and dragged a hand down his face. “But before that I’m gonna need a light.”

Eva narrowed her eyes up at Grimmer from beside the couch. Of all the things to come outta his mouth, that wasn’t something she’d expect. Grimmer never seemed the smoking type, sure never smelled like it the few times she’d seen him. 

“Didn’t take you for a smoker.”

He turned a wry look on her and chuckled.

“Calms the nerves when shit hits the fan. I’m making a judgement call.”

So, he was worried too. Wasn't just idle paranoia, then. Eva watched him for a moment, taking mild amusement in his losing battle with the lighter he'd pulled from his pocket before she finally offered him a mercy. She jerked her head to the side, over toward the door, where her purse hung from the handle. 

“If it's giving you trouble you can just use mine. First inside pocket on the left. You don’t want me handing you anything right now.” She paused, her tone going dark for just a moment. “But don’t you touch anything else. You know the rules.”

There was a low chuckle from the journalist in response. “Something about fishing around in a woman’s purse…” He hummed, slinking away from the window for a moment. “Don’t gotta worry about any of that.”

Eva relaxed, smiling bitterly despite herself. She raised her reddened hands, piqued by an idle curiosity. She never got her hands dirty, not like this. It felt alien and sick on her skin, slightly warm with a pungent, metallic smell. Such a deep, dark colour. There were people out there who dipped their hands in blood willfully, who wore it with such ease. The blood of her father, her lover, her ex-fiance. 

Eva felt her stomach lurch and lowered her hands again, taking a slow, deep breath. She glanced back toward Karina, though the girl didn’t look her way even once. Eva was invisible to the eyes of one reunited with family she must have thought she’d never see again.

“I’m gonna wash my hands. You keep an eye on him, now.”

Eva excused herself to the ensuite, turning on the water and scrubbing her hands with soap. She watched as bits of red flaked off, sliding down the drain. Hot water scorched at her skin, but she knew it wouldn’t burn that moment away. He'd almost been another needless casualty. One more death on her conscience. 

It had been a sick and dirty way to get to him, using his daughter. He’d mourned for her, really thought she was gone. Then to use her like that...catch him by surprise, shoot him with his defenses down, right in front of her…

She’d almost lost everything in the blink of an eye. 

Daughters who lost their fathers couldn’t ever get that happiness back.

She looked up, catching herself in the mirror. Bags under her eyes, hair that stuck out in all the wrong ways, a scowl better fitting a crone...she looked ugly as sin. So bad she had to laugh. It bubbled up, a hollow echoing sound that degraded with time - more like quiet sobs than real laughter.

She looked back at her hands before she pushed the door open again. Looked clean, smelled clean, but she could still feel it there. His blood, _their_ blood. She’d shot people, too - stopped their hearts without hesitation. That warehouse had been real. Wasn’t any way to go back the way things were now. She was just as much a killer as the rest of them.

Heading back into the main room, Eva knelt by Karina’s side, putting a hand on the young woman’s shoulder. She tensed for just a moment, but gradually relaxed. She looked more human than she had a while ago.

“You hurt much?”

The brunette glanced over at Eva, with eyes far deeper and brighter than her father could ever hope to have. Karina was a real stunner, a beautiful girl. She shook her head, frowning.

“Not that bad. I’ve felt worse. Probably looked worse, too.” 

Eva squeezed her shoulder a little, still taking a moment to look her over carefully. Physically she didn’t look that hurt. Pale, bruised, hair a little unkempt, smelled like cigarettes and that damp, dingy place, but she wasn’t so bad off. They probably didn’t wanna risk hurting her so bad she couldn’t be recognized. Eva pulled her hand away, gaze shifting to Heinrich. He was breathing slow, still unconscious. Probably less painful that way.

“It nearly destroyed him, having to choose.”

Karina tensed up again, those beautiful eyes of hers turning cold and so, so sad. Her hair fell like a curtain in front of her face, the best thing she could do to hide the hurt, but it wasn’t enough to keep Eva out. She knew too well what a girl like her oughtta be feeling now. How it’d feel to have her own father choose some other wench over his flesh and blood child...if she hated Eva, that was something she could understand. She’d ripped a hole in their family. If anything she deserved it. 

But what she said instead...when she looked up, when she looked Eva in the eye -

“I don’t want him to be a killer. Not like that. Not because of me.”

It was no forgiveness - Eva didn’t think she’d ever be able to earn something like that for getting their family involved in her selfish crusade for vengeance - but damn if that plea didn’t cut deep. All she wanted was a happy, wholesome family. She wasn’t living in the right time or place or _world_ for that. But…

“Your father’s a better man than that.”

Karina nodded, fists clenching in her lap. There was something about her...a look, like there was something just hanging at the tip of her tongue. Eva touched her arm, a small, reassuring gesture.

“You got something on your mind?”

Before she could give an answer, there was movement by the window. Grimmer was closing the curtains with a frustrated little huff.

“Ambulance is finally here. Your old man’s gonna get himself some good and proper care now. Don’t you worry.” He smiled that reassuring way of his as he headed to the door. “You ladies stay here, I’ll greet them downstairs.”

He didn’t say a word, but Eva caught the suspicion in his body language. It wasn’t normal, for emergency care to take so long. Could be a high volume of calls tonight, or it could mean that someone else was coming to meet them. Grimmer going downstairs alone to greet them was a precaution; if he didn’t come back, there was a good chance that things had gone south.

The wait was deadly silent, the only sound coming from their breathing.

It wasn’t long after that, when folks in white showed up to take Heinrich away. Turned out they’d been busy with emergency patients; the last had been two cops, the chief and the kid from before. Zeman was no surprise, he was a loose end that was compromised, but the kid...he probably got caught up as a witness. That was a shame. 

The doctors assessed the situation; called her handiwork “sloppy but effective for the interim”. Told her that he’d be treated properly once they took him to the hospital.

Letting him go felt like pulling teeth; it wasn’t something that Eva felt right about, even though she knew he needed professional care. It just reinforced those ugly thoughts that crawled around her brain. _If only Kenzo were here._ He could fix this. But he _wasn’t_ here; Eva had to rely on strangers, people whose names and lives she didn’t know, in the hopes Heinrich would be cared for and recover.

Sure as hell they weren’t just going to leave him with any strangers. The doctors seemed cooperative enough to let them come along, which was a small comfort.

Karina opted to ride with her father in the back of the ambulance - couldn’t much blame her, the girl didn’t wanna be apart from him after all that. Grimmer and Eva took a cab to the hospital, and followed as far as they were allowed; once inside, the three of them were left to wait in the hall, sitting on uncomfortable black plastic chairs. Eva had always hated those things. Worse, there was no smoking inside. At this hour, and with all that was at stake, all Eva wanted was to calm her goddamn nerves.

“He’ll be alright. Don’t worry so much.”

Whoever thought those were words of comfort was dead wrong. Eva fixed Grimmer with a look to turn him to stone and he raised his hands defensively, shaking his head. 

“All I’m saying is it ain’t gonna do you any good worrying so much. Gets you in the wrong state of mind.”

Eva didn’t say anything, glaring down at a spot of tile between her feet. It was late, she was tired. Hadn’t eaten in a while, and Heinrich was in the other room getting a bullet pulled out of him. None of those factors helped her mood any. She closed her eyes, leaned her head back and breathed out a heavy sigh.

“He better know his little girl’s out here. Needs to come out alright so he can greet her properly.”

It was meant to come off humoured, but the dead silent lack of response told her it hadn’t worked. She focused on the quiet, the empty atmosphere lulling her into a half-calm. Only the sound of Karina’s voice - barely a whisper, more like a small whine - drew her back. The girl looked agitated, uncomfortable. Eva sighed, fighting that craving for a smoke.

“You’ll get to see him soon. The doctor’s doing his best. Can’t rush this sorta thing. So don’t you…”

“That’s not it.”

Eva’s eyebrow raised, one eye opening again, turning on Karina. Her hands were balled into fists and she was staring at the wall ahead of her. But it wasn’t that she looked _scared_ \- or even angry. The look on her face was colder, determined. More like his.

“I can tell you...where to find them.”

* * *

Heinrich was awake, out of surgery. Eva...wanted to go see him. 

_Wanted_ to, but she couldn’t; there was one person who deserved to be there more than anybody else and that was his little girl. After all she’d gone through, after all _he’d_ gone through, they deserved each other more than anything in the world. All Eva wanted was to be selfish, but she was woman enough to know what was her place and what wasn’t, when she could put herself first and when to wait.

It didn’t stop her from worrying herself away.

At least she had decent company. Grimmer wasn't half bad a guy, took her out for a smoke, something to get her mind off everything. They were never close or anything, he sure wasn’t the first person she’d pick to have a quiet moment with, but it was better than digging into her own mind and losing herself to her thoughts.

They knew where to find the bastards. Or at least they had a lead. Could be that they’d already moved - after all, their prisoner escaped and ratted them out - but going there would still give them a place to start. Heinrich’s daughter had given them good information, but with her father in his condition...they were effectively left to sit on their asses. It put them both on edge.

Grimmer fiddled with his pack of cigarettes, drawing one out with his teeth and shoving the pack back in his pocket, glancing to Eva hopefully as he took the unlit cigarette between his fingers to speak.

“Our little group’s looking pretty shabby. Lunge’s not seeing any action for some time and his daughter's understandably a wreck. That leaves just us two. You and I ain’t so bad, but...”

Eva tossed her lighter for Grimmer to use, shaking her head.

“We can’t leave them alone. They’ll be easy targets.”

Grimmer made a noise, looking her way with a mild frown. He took a drag from his cigarette and tossed the lighter back Eva’s way.

“So I guess we put the brakes on this case for a little while. Go into hiding. Get ourselves put back together. If it's us they want, disappearing makes the most sense.”

When they were this close...when they’d come this far, when three people had to die just to get here...putting a stop on their progress wasn’t an option. Eva looked up to the smoggy sky, giving no immediate response. She could feel Grimmer watching her, and turned a pointed look his way. She had a feeling he knew….

“You can’t go alone.”

Course that was it. Well, he was more observant than most men, but he was just as dense in other ways. Eva looked him square in the eye and sighed, watching as smoke wafted in the air between them.

“I know.”

Oh, she knew how stupid it was. But that wasn’t gonna stop her from going. As far as Eva was concerned, it was the only option; they nearly lost Heinrich the last time. If they followed the same pattern again, they’d just end the same way. If this was the final path to revenge, it _would_ be paved with blood. Probably theirs as much as the enemy’s. 

If there was anybody allowed to die, it was her. Grimmer had his wife, his son. Heinrich had his daughter. Eva...

She could fade away and they’d all move on. They’d be sad for a while...they’d mourn, but it would pass. She didn’t have those kinds of permanent ties left. Eva was temporary; she’d go there, get her vengeance the way she should’ve in the first place, with a one-woman showdown. If she died, that was her own fault, but she’d die taking the revenge she craved. The rest of them...Heinrich, Grimmer, their families...they’d be free of it once and for all.

She felt a clap on her shoulder - once, twice, a friendly gesture she normally wouldn’t allow, but the mood being what it was, she couldn’t muster the energy to push him away or even glare.

“Lunge’s tough. It won’t be long before we’re back on track again.” 

There he went with that hopeful way of his. Grimmer could be a damn cheeky son of a bitch with a dry snark to him, but underneath he was a softer soul, there to heal wounds and shine light where there was none. Eva couldn’t help but smile a little smile, letting her arm drop to her side, cigarette dangling between her fingers.

“I know.” She spoke contentedly, closing her eyes. “We should get some sleep. While the sun’s still down.”

There was a quiet hum of affirmation, Grimmer standing and grinding his cigarette into the ground with his heel.

“Back to the hotel, then. We’ll visit him in the morning.”

* * *

The way back was quiet, but peaceful. She wouldn’t have it any different. It was better this way, better to let them have a few hours of calm before the storm rolled in. They didn’t waste much time on chat; Grimmer took one bed, Eva the other.

It felt lonely, just the two of them. Even with the blankets, she couldn’t seem to get warm. Couldn't relax.

“Try to get some rest.”

Grimmer’s voice reached her, reassuring, and a little knowing. Even in the dark, he could tell she was concerned. She was losing her touch, if he could read her heart so easily.

“Yeah.”

A pause, the faint rustling of blankets.

“Goodnight, Eva.”

It felt strange; Grimmer never really used her first name. But then, if this could be the last…

“Goodnight, Wolfgang.”

* * *

_Alive…_

He remembered the gunshots. One, two. Someone shouting, someone crying. Then he was falling, and Lunge…

Lunge had been sure that he was on death’s door.

Karina had caught him by surprise. He’d let his guard down and was shot for it; that should have been the end. He should have died then, but he was damn sure that no afterlife began with scratchy blankets or creaky beds. 

Couldn’t quite get his eyes to open, but he could feel the rise and fall of his chest under the blankets. He also felt the pain - breathing too deeply tugged at the injury, reminding him of just where the bastard decided to fill him with lead. He tested his hands. Fingers moved just fine, and he was able to make a fist. He could feel something biting into his arm, an awkward weight he couldn’t quite describe, but was well enough aware of.

He couldn’t be sure, but he had a feeling he was in a hospital. They’d brought him-

“Dad…”

Anything else on Lunge’s mind came to a halt the second he heard that voice. _Her_ voice. 

The last thing he saw, before he hit the ground...he’d been taken off guard. Hadn’t expected it. He remembered how it happened...remembered just how he felt then. Hearing her voice...that devil’s choice he was given, then the most painful gunshot he’d ever heard.

His daughter was shot dead, because he’d made a choice. 

But then in the warehouse...the hostage...it hadn't been his wife, as he'd thought. Karina…

His eyes opened slowly, and he half expected to find himself looking into an empty space, fooled for a second time by some bizarre hallucination. There was nowhere else his daughter could’ve come from, than a longing projection of his own mind.

But the woman looking down at him was definitely there. Just as real as he was himself.

“....Karina.”

His voice was hoarse, his lips were dry, but he spoke her name with as much refinement as he could. He reached toward her with his free arm - the one not hooked to an IV - but his movements were sluggish and slow, a little awkward, like his body wasn’t quite awake yet. Possibly exhaustion, possibly a result of whatever drugs hadn’t fully worn off.

Karina closed the distance herself, taking his hand and holding it in both of hers.

That hand...that touch...proof that the girl in front of him was no illusion, but the real thing…

Heinrich Lunge was not the sort of man to cry. Not as an adult, nor as a boy, that he could recall. He had, there must have been a time when he wept, but not once that he remembered.

At this moment he was sure he came quite close.

Feeling his daughter’s hands, warm against his own, was what unravelled the purported stoic. His thoughts, usually professional and well-contained, began to swim, filled with the notion that _she was alive_. He felt tightness in his chest, a mild pressure behind his eyes. Even more dangerous was the wavering of his vision through yet unshed tears, carefully held there so as not to tarnish his reputation. 

“Karina.”

He said it again, aware of the shudder in his voice. It was emotional, a sound nearly alien to him. He felt Karina’s grip tense for just a moment, squeezing his hand as she made a small sound.

“I’m here, dad.”

That tightness in his chest only worsened with each second, each word, each moment he was aware of her presence. He took a deep breath, turning his gaze toward her face. She looked like she hadn’t slept in weeks, but she still looked beautiful. He moved his thumb out from the prison she had made with her hands, drawing it lightly against her knuckles, a gesture that was methodical and simple - something he could concentrate on.

“You look tired.”

He spoke more softly that time, with a steadier voice. He was starting to regain control, beating those emotions back where they belonged. It was no father’s business to look so fragile in front of his daughter when she herself was wounded.

She laughed, hiccupped and sobbed at once, a confounding noise that would almost sound amusing in other circumstances.

“So do you.”

What had been a smile faded, her face heartbreaking and painful in just another moment. Once more she squeezed his hand between her own.

“Dad, I’m...I’m…”

He could feel the tension returning to his chest. What she was about to…

_Don’t say it._

“I’m sorry.”

And then, again -

“I’m sorry.”

Her voice sounded fragile, like she was struggling as hard as he was to keep herself from falling apart. He squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head as he clutched her hand, aware of the pain in his chest that felt far too real - far worse than any bullet could do. 

“You’ve done nothing wrong. There’s no need for you to apologise.”

_Karina..._

She was alive. Karina was alive. It was no thanks to him. He would never have known, if not for...

He opened his eyes slowly, looking up at her with a softened, but still serious expression.

“I failed as your father. I didn’t protect you. I am… _I_ am...”

One of Karina’s hands moved away from his, instead reaching down to touch his face. She shook her head, the tears starting to fall freely then, from those sad, sad eyes.

“He made you choose something evil. You couldn’t...I wouldn’t..."

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. "I wouldn't _want_ you to shoot someone for me. I don’t want to be the reason someone else dies. I almost….” Once more she broke off, drawing a shuddered breath. “I almost….”

She didn’t need to finish the sentence; he knew well enough what she meant. By that admission - that she didn’t want to be the cause of anyone’s demise - what she must have felt, watching him, when he was shot…

“I’m going to be all right. You’ve done nothing wrong.”

She opened her mouth, then closed it again, the tears falling more swiftly now. She made no effort to hold back, but he certainly couldn't hold it against her. Were he able, he would have embraced her, then. Instead he reached to cup her cheek, the least he could do to comfort her. His vision blurred again, and he was nearly certain he could feel the tracking of something wet at the corner of his eye, faint though it was. He smiled a thin, tired smile.

“I’m glad that you’re here. I’m very...very glad.”

* * *

_Grimmer._

_I’m sure you know where I’ve gone, but don’t follow me. Like you said, it doesn’t make sense for us to leave Heinrich and his daughter alone. But I'm afraid this can’t wait. Hiding isn't an option. Heinrich has his ex-wife, and you have your family. They could be the next at risk, if we disappear._

_If I don’t come back, then you take them and you take your family, and you all get out of here and don’t come back. You go somewhere they won’t find you. Forget everything that happened here and move on. I was the one who brought this on you all; I’ll be the one to finish it. The rest of you can move on._

_I shouldn't have misled you, but I didn't think you would listen to reason. If everything works out, we can have words later. For now I'm trusting you to keep Heinrich and his daughter safe._

_Eva_

Grimmer turned the paper over. There was nothing else. Just that somber, crinkled note, with no trace of Eva herself - none except her lighter, which she’d undoubtedly left for him. He looked out at the rising sun and sighed.

“He’s probably going to kill me for this...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ANNNND we're gonna cut here....originally I had more planned but it's easier to add that to the next chapter instead. People are making bad decisions. Nothing is new. But at least Lunge's not dead?


	13. Vengeance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eva decides to act on her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somewhat brutal violence in this one, and character death.

The night was cold and dark, lit only by the odd passing car that washed her in faded, yellowed light. Eva pulled her coat around her shoulders just a little more, but the chill soaked to her skin all the same. It was a chill that came from more than the weather - hers was born of burden and guilt, the cold that came with the realization of the choice she had made, what that choice would mean. Eva chose, now, to disappear; she would stain her hands, _drown_ them, in blood. She already bore the weight of having brought hell to the lives of all too many people with her case. It was better this way, before any more were killed.

It had been so easy to slip away from the hotel, so easy to remove herself from Grimmer’s life. She’d played him, twisted his wrist so he only had one option when he woke in the morning...but if it meant he’d live to see his family again, and ensure that Lunge would survive, she could stomach that guilt. She wasn’t a good woman, couldn’t pretend to be one now.

The sentimental girl in her thought to visit the hospital. She could get in, say her goodbyes to Heinrich and be on her way, but she knew better than to tease her own heart. She’d put that thing away, tender and soft that it was. If she let it burn, let it flicker even just once, she knew she couldn’t let go. That was a guilt she bore most heavily; if she failed, there’d be no goodbyes for Heinrich. Perhaps he would remember, in some delirious state, the hand on his chest, soaked in his blood as she struggled to keep him alive. But then again, better that he didn’t.

She had work to do before she headed to that street Karina had tipped her to; just one handgun wouldn’t cut it in a bloodbath. She’d picked up a few tricks from Martin, back in those days, knew where to go to fix her for a real fight. She could almost laugh; first saving a life, and now navigating the dark depths of an unforgiving city...even if those men were gone, they hadn’t left her in full. She held their ghosts even now, arm in arm.

They'd keep her company on a lonely journey. She might join them, in the end.

She was armed for the kill with bullets to spare. She’d gotten good with time, but those two men she’d left behind had a better shot. Making sure she had the extra insurance was a precaution. She even had a few other tricks in case things got grim; when Eva Heinemann picked a fight, she didn't half-ass it.

Every car that passed her by was like a jolt of adrenaline; _they_ were out there, somewhere. Could be anywhere, anyone. Calling in a cab would make the trip faster, but she couldn’t be sure who to trust; getting in a car with a stranger was a deadly game to play with her neck on the line. She wasn’t about to take that risk before she reached the finish line.

She heard the click of her shoes with each step. It was a lonely echo of her heartbeat, a steady sound that she could concentrate on.

She used the same tactics as Heinrich had taught them before; stick to the walls, stay out of sight. It was slow going, but the sky was only just beginning to lighten when she found what she was looking for. Even sleepless, she was impressed.

What Eva had expected was a club; something seedy in a dark alley, easily distinguished as a place that wretches would spend their time. What she was faced with instead, as she peered around the corner of another wall, was an estate that rivalled the size and splendour of her own.

Where there had been a chill in her bones, all Eva could feel now was the boiling of her blood. It was a sickening thought, to imagine that the men who took Kenzo’s life - who tarnished the Lunge family, nearly killing both father and daughter - was living not among the gutter trash and filth they belonged in but with _class_. Crime certainly paid, but to imagine it paid so _generously_ filled her with disgust. 

Eva steeled herself, taking deep breaths. She would’ve smoked one last cigarette, but she’d left her lighter behind, the single kindness she afforded to Grimmer and a sign of her own weakness. She shouldn’t have left anything, that had been a mist-

_Bang._

Eva barely had time to push herself from the wall and away from the unexpected gunshot. Her eyes flicked in the direction the bullet had come from, and she caught the faintest movement of a shadow behind an overgrown hedge that served as a wall around the front of the estate.

So, they had already spotted her.

Her legs felt like jelly, she was exhausted, and somehow she’d thought this was a good idea. Eva held her gun with a tightening grip, lowering down with a humourless chuckle.

“I guess that means they’re home.”

She made a move towards the hedge and took a shot of her own.

* * *

She’d really gone alone.

Grimmer knew well enough that Eva could be reckless. She was just that kinda woman. But even then, he’d thought that together, they had this one figured out. If the _three_ of them had trouble, there was no way she didn’t know the risks of going alone. Playing things Grimmer’s way would’ve afforded them a safety net. They had the playing field to themselves - if they disappeared, there was no one left to threaten. His family was safe, and he was dead sure Lunge’s ex-wife was nobody they’d bother to leverage against him, but all the same Eva wouldn’t listen. He should’ve known better, but here he was now, with just that letter and that lighter of hers.

Protect them, huh…

Well, she wasn’t wrong in thinking that the Lunges would be at risk. One was a liability and the other was wounded; any crook who knew his business knew that was the time to attack. Grimmer didn’t waste much time in the early morning, heading to the hospital as soon as hours permitted. It gave him enough time to take a shower - a God-given privelege - and get some food and coffee in him, the taste of bitter bliss keeping him afloat for now.

He brought coffee and a sandwich for Lunge’s girl, who looked like she’d scarce eaten in days. She wasn’t his own kid, but there was just that part of him as a father that couldn’t help but dote on her. It left a bad taste, thinking somebody’s kid got messed up in all this. Worse that they were dealing with the kinda crooked bastard that'd hurt kids in the first place.

She accepted the food gingerly, looking at him questioningly as Grimmer went to take a seat by the window. Didn’t say a word, and he didn’t prompt it. He knew what she wanted to know; also knew she’d figure it out on her own. Eva wasn't coming. They stayed quiet for a while, the brunette watching over her father as he slept, Grimmer watching through the window for any suspicious activity with an ear out for trouble down the hall. 

He heard rustling, then a heaved sigh.

“I should’ve waited to tell you. I wasn’t thinking.” 

Grimmer tilted his head, glancing back toward the girl. She was still staring at her pops, waiting for him to wake, but she looked agitated. He wondered if she blamed herself. Grimmer shok his head, rubbing his temples.

“There was nothing wrong with what you did. You gave us something that’s probably important. What miss Heinemann chose to do with that information...well, she made a choice herself. That’s on her, nobody else.”

There was a pause, Karina looking toward the window, where the sun was starting to brighten.

“I wonder how she’s doing.”

Grimmer didn’t answer, instead reaching into his pocket, where he’d tucked her lighter. She’d left him with it, then told him to protect Lunge and his daughter - in the hospital, where he’d get dragged out by the ear if they so much as caught him with a cigarette. Some nasty kinda tease that was.

He kept between watching by the window and checking the hall now and then. It didn’t quite feel real; he just went through the motions, like he’d been asked to do, but anything said to him or by him was without thought, vaguely half-present as he felt. It wasn’t until some time later - didn’t know how long, only that the sun was a bright ball in the sky by that point - when the inspector finally woke that he really felt all there again.

That was also about the time he felt like jumping out the window. 

He could feel those cold, sharp eyes digging into him from behind, the presence of the wounded inspector still no less domineering when he lay harmless in a hospital bed. Grimmer felt commanded to turn around, facing the man whose eyes now cut directly through his own.

“You saved me.” he said, his voice level, even. “Thank you.”

There was a sharp dissonance between that voice and the look he had fixed Grimmer with. Truthfully, he had to give the late Suk credit; it was, indeed, quite an experience to be faced with the scrutinizing gaze of Inspector Lunge. He could understand a little better now, how the man held such power over others with merely a look.

Grimmer was just a little more resilient, though; came with the territory of age and experience, and a good deal of nonchalance. If Lunge had suspicions he wanted to test, he’d have to ask on his own.

“We were lucky he didn’t shoot you anywhere vital.” He shrugged, a wry smirk flitting across his lips. “But a bullet hole in your gut is still nothing to sneeze at.” His gaze went back to the window, hand resting against his side, where he could feel his pistol resting and ready. “I think I hit him, but he got away. Guess I’m not as great a shot as I used to be.”

There was a moment’s pause, Lunge absorbing the information silently. The steely look returned to his eyes, and this time Grimmer knew it was coming.

“And where is Eva, right now?”

He could dance around it when the question wasn’t posed -could toss vague language around that evaded the topic entirely where possible, but directly asked the question, he was trapped. There was no good in lying, even if he was good at it; no one benefited from it, even if the truth would only hurt him even more.

That woman...she really was gonna owe him a big one after this.

Grimmer looked right into those frigid eyes. He had nothing to hide, no reason to turn with shame. She made the decision on her own; he just had to bear it. He answered as simply, as frankly, as possible;

“She left.”

* * *

Until now, the world had been a confounding blur - dull, muted and black with only sparing seconds of alertness.

Vague moments, fleeting glimpses of consciousness, recalled a woman’s voice - _you fool. You stupid fool._

Those words echoed now in Lunge’s own mind, unspoken to the woman who had chosen, it seemed, to bear the whole weight of a burden that was more than she could carry.

Rash and utterly foolish.

He found himself staring at the ceiling, up at the pale white pebbled surface. He wasn’t fool enough to try to sit up now - he could feel the ache in his body, knew better than to agitate such a fresh wound. A wound that, were it not for her - for _all_ of them - would have been the death of him in that dingy place.

Under normal circumstances, he probably would have felt something like anger, but bedridden and beaten down over the days he couldn’t find it in himself; instead there was a hollowness, a void that filled his chest.

If he hadn’t been shot, then she wouldn't have…

“You didn’t stop her.”

It came out somberly when he supposed it should be an accusation. Grimmer should have known better, known what sort of a woman Eva was. The man just stood by the window, hand in his pocket, staring into the distance. He didn't even look back.

“Thought I’d reasoned with her, but she pulled a fast one while I was sleeping.” 

That sounded like her. Lunge relaxed, turning his face away. He couldn’t fault Grimmer, she probably would’ve had the drop on him too.

“She told me to stay behind and watch over you two. You’re pretty important to that woman.”

Lunge closed his eyes, taking a slow breath. He didn’t need to be told that, he knew. Of course he knew. Same as she should’ve known how important….

_Eva._

His eyes opened again, slowly.

“She didn’t say goodbye.”

There was a silent moment then. Despite the lack of any speech, and Lunge’s eyes closed as they were, he could still feel the sympathy in the atmosphere.

“If she’d done that, I don’t think she coulda gone.”

The hollow feeling only grew deeper, then, and Lunge knew that Grimmer was right. All they could do now was wait.

And hope.

* * *

The courtyard worked as much to Eva’s advantage as those men. The hedge gave her good cover, and kept her out of sight from the two front-facing windows. She’d already shot one man, the bastard who’d tried to get the jump on her in the beginning, but there were more in hiding. At least two in the windows, probably two or three more on the courtyard grounds. Who knew how many inside.

The odds weren’t good for her.

Eva ducked around the corner, taking a shot toward the other side of the hedge, where at least one of those men was hidden, before ducking back around on her side where she was safe. There was a rustle, but no bodies fell and nothing else changed; if she got a shot in it wasn’t lethal. A wasted bullet. 

She kept low, creeping along the hedge, peering through foliage. She could see movement between the branches, where the brush was thinnest. They probably thought they were safe there, out of reach. Eva put the barrel of her gun between the branches, aiming her shaking hand carefully. If she could just….

_Bang._

A second man hit the ground. Eva moved along the hedge, standing right on the edge of the taller bush and peering around the corner. That shot was sure to get their attention; she wasn’t just hiding, she had a useful vantage point and now they knew it. She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

She was dead on her feet, exhausted, but she couldn’t stop now. Not until she-

Eva jolted at the sound of another gunshot, whipping around with her gun and returning fire. She didn’t know if she’d gotten them, but she saw movement behind her, where she’d just been facing.

Coming at her from both sides...this was where having Grimmer with her might’ve come in handy.

She wondered if there had been any attacks on Lunge yet. He probably knew by now what Eva was doing.

Hopefully he wasn’t fool enough to try to come after her, in his state.

Eva waited, listening, watching for movement. The last two were there, she knew they were there. But they were waiting. She needed an opening, a good shot. 

Another bullet whizzing through the foliage was enough of a clue.

Eva took two shots that time, relieved when she heard a definitive _whumph_ of someone falling. That still left one. One more, and one bullet left before she had to reload. She felt her hand shaking slightly and clenched her grip a little.

If the first shot had come from her left, then the other was probably….

She spun around, catching the faintest sound of something sharp, like stepping on branches or leaves. Eva sidestepped, drawing closer and taking a shot before the other man could squeeze the trigger.

Her arm fell to her side and she took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She peered up toward the mansion itself from beyond the hedge. If she wanted to get inside, she needed a creative solution. Eva moved towards the body she’d just dropped, gun pointed just in case. He didn’t seem to be moving, couldn’t tell if he was breathing. Eva bent down, grabbing him by the arm and hoisting him up as best as she could. She could feel blood against her, smell the sweat and smoke on his clothes. 

Eva shifted her grip so that one arm was around his neck, the other hand free to point her gun ahead of her. Walking like this wasn’t easy; he was heavy, a lot heavier than was comfortable for her to hold, but at least now she had a shield against any potential shots from the windows. Each step was laboured, but if anyone had any bright ideas, she wouldn’t be the one riddled with bullets. Not unless they were really packing, but then she was as good as dead before she arrived.

Using a human as a shield...she really was going to hell for this.

When Eva made it to the door, she dropped her load with a grunt, turning the handle on the door, letting it ease open and sliding to the side, out of range of any shooters in the hall. She gave it a moment, pulling her second gun and leading into the hall with a finger on the trigger. Despite the bright sky outside, the mansion’s interior was dark, no lights on, windows barely drawing in any light. It took her a moment to adjust, blinking a few times, keeping close to the walls, eyes going in every direction. She was in a large, open foyer; there was a grand set of stairs ahead, and a hallway to the left and right. It wasn’t all that different from her own home. It made her feel sick.

_Higher ground._ Like Heinrich had said. Higher ground was safer. 

Eva took to the staircase, keeping as far to the left as she could, stepping one foot ahead of the other, as silent as possible. It was with her own silence that she was able to hear the soft, foreboding chuckle.

“Well, well. I didn’t think you’d be alone. I wanted to repay that friend of yours. Can’t use my left arm so good any more. It’s pretty annoying.”

Eva’s head shot toward the source of the sound - somewhere at the top of the staircase, but she couldn’t tell where. She knew that voice; it was the same one from the warehouse. So, he was the one that had escaped. Fitting for someone so evil to rear his head in a place like this. Eva gritted her teeth. Her skin was crawling, just hearing him speak…

Eva took a shot, reaching the first platform on the stairs. She could make out something in the shadows. A tall - 

_Bang._

Her thoughts were interrupted by the suddenness of a gunshot, and searing pain.

Eva dropped to one knee with a hiss, twisting around to see two...three shapes at the base of the stairs. Three, and then _him._ looking down on her. He was right there. Right there...if she could just stand, make the steps up to the landing...but she could feel the sting in her leg start to burn. 

She should have cleared the ground floor first. This wasn’t like the warehouse, where there was only one room, where the highest point was the most advantageous. She could see everything there; in this place there were too many rooms. She’d made a poor choice. She looked up, watching as the figure at the top of the stairs detached from the wall.

“Fortunately, I don’t need my left arm to kill you.”

Eva raised her gun, biting down on her lip to distract from the pain.

“I can still shoot you from here.”

There was a pause. Eva knew even saying that was hopeless; if she shot him, even if she succeeded, the men behind her would fill her with holes. She’d known this was suicide, but now that she was faced with certain death, Eva was starting to realize…

She didn’t want to die. She wasn’t _ready_ to die.

“You _could,_ but...you would’ve taken that shot by now. You’re smarter than that. Because you know if you do that, then you’re as dead as me.”

She could feel her hand shaking, the gun growing slick with sweat. The shadowed man was coming down the stairs, coming into view. She’d never seen him until now - tall, hulking, with a leer she wanted to wipe from his face. She could feel his eyes boring into her, felt herself recoil.

“Too bad. You came this close to avenging him. You were _so_ close.”

She felt her stomach plummet. That was a bold-faced confession if she ever heard one. Her hand twitched as she stared straight ahead, fighting a wave of nausea.

She could see Kenzo, when she blinked. 

She could hear gunshot that took down Heinrich, the cries of his daughter. Right in front of her….

Her grip tightened and she took aim again, only for the man to lurch forward quickly - faster than she thought he could move at that distance - and grab her hand, crushing with considerable force, until her grip loosened and the gun fell from her hand, skittering down a few stairs and landing somewhere behind her. Even disarmed, he didn't release her. Eva stared up with wide eyes, at the man who now blocked the whole of her vision, far too close. His hand was sweaty and disgusting, but his grip was unshakable. His thumb brushed her wrist almost gently, a mock gesture of tenderness.

Skewering her hand on a rusted spike would have been preferable to this. The nausea returned, stronger than before. 

“This would have been so much easier if you just came to us in the beginning. Don’t you think? None of those people had to die.”

His voice was softer, spoken gently, yet it sounded all the more menacing. She saw the silvery glint of a gun. Her throat felt suddenly, unbearably, dry.

“I don't like to make things messy, especially not with a woman. Just sit still and I'll make it quick. Don’t wanna take any chances with you. Even if you _are_ beautiful.”

Eva lowered her gaze, swallowing the lump in her throat. 

“You killed him.”

There was a pause, the man quirking a brow, his lips turned up into an ugly smirk.

“Yep. He really should’ve seen it coming.”

Eva narrowed her gaze, looking back up to catch his eyes. She could feel her entire body trembling despite the forced strength she imposed.

“And the others? Did you kill them, too?”

The man hummed. He sounded calm, like he wasn’t about to kill someone.

“Just the gangster who fell for you, before this mess you made. My hands are pretty clean.”

_Martin._

“And the inspector’s daughter. We thought you killed her, too.”

He clicked his tongue, looking down at Eva with a smirk.

“I was supposed to shoot her, yeah. But the boss changed his mind. Thought we could use her to get to her old man, and I guess he was right about that. Too bad that other guy got a shot at me, or I woulda finished him off.” 

Eva’s free hand tensed around her injured leg, sliding up the boot, slick with blood. The man leaned forward, close enough that she could just barely feel his breath on her face. She resisted the urge to snap forward and tear his nose off with her teeth, wrinkling her face as he leered down at her.

“Once I’m done with you, I’ll be paying him a visit. Gotta finish what-”

The man broke off, making a choked gurgling noise and, at the same moment, releasing Eva’s wrist. She used the opportunity to grab his gun, throwing it aside and pulling away from him with an unsteady stumble, halfway tripping down the stairs.

Still, graceless as it was, she was mildly satisfied to see the knife sticking into the man’s side, pulled from the inside of her boot. She hadn’t been sure it would work, but she’d managed to get him talking, focusing on her face. Even if she was disarmed now, so was he - and she’d managed to make him bleed. It wasn’t enough….not nearly enough, but it was something. She was still caught between him and the three men at the foot of the stairs; all he had to do was give the order and she was dead. Couldn’t go up, couldn’t go down. She needed to find her gun.

She wasn’t fast enough, and the brief stun she’d landed the bastard didn’t last nearly long enough. She could do nothing to stop him when he lurched forward, grabbing her by the hair and throwing her roughly down the stairs. She wasn’t sure what part of her felt worse; her leg, her wrist, or the rest of her. She’d at least brought her arms up and ducked her head, protecting herself from some of the damage from the fall, but the way she was now…

She was back at the foot of the stairs, with three people ready and willing to kill her.

She could feel something scrape against her face, where dirt had been tracked inside. If she opened her eyes, she could see the patterning on the stone tile, cracks where something must have fallen on them.

Her eyelids felt heavy, adrenaline starting to fail her. She was so….tired.

She was _tired._

Eva didn’t even bother to uncurl herself from the floor. She was tired. Out of options. She heard a gun cock somewhere above her and closed her eyes again. She wished it had been different...if she was going to die like this, she didn’t want it to be curled up on the ground, looking like hell. It would have been better earlier - if they’d shot her when she stuck that knife into him, that would have been better. Now it was just a disgrace. But she couldn’t look up. Like this, she could pretend it wasn’t real. 

She saw shadows move beyond her eyelids. 

She and Grimmer weren’t going to have that talk after all. She and Heinrich....

_One..._

_Two..._

_...three._

Three shots rang out. Eva heard them all, but somehow...she hadn’t felt them. There was shouting, chaos erupting above her. Stranger still, the guttural grunt that came after sounded remarkably familiar, not unlike the sound she’d heard when she jabbed her knife into that bastard’s side.

Slowly, Eva opened her eyes.

Of the three that had been surrounding her before, only one remained, the other two writhing on the ground, alive but effectively useless. The third was holding a gun, shaking, pointing it towards the stairs. Eva followed her gaze, catching sight of that man, doubled over, a hand pressed over his stomach. She could see the red pooling around the wound.

She looked up, staring through her own matted hair. The one standing over her was a woman, with blonde hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. She looked down at Eva. She looked as exhausted as the woman on the ground.

Blonde woman…Eva cracked a smirk. She almost laughed - or might have, if she had the energy.

“Anna.”

The woman took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

“That’s right.”

Eva sat up slowly, now aware that she probably wasn’t going to die. Not now, at least. She didn’t know why the girl turned on her people and was too tired to give a damn, let alone ask. She reached out, pushing herself to her feet awkwardly.

“Gun.”

There was hesitation in the girl’s eyes. She opened her mouth to speak-

_”Gun.”_

When she continued to refuse, seemingly frozen in place with the weapon in hand, Eva just stumbled towards the stairs. She kept one hand braced on the wall, searching for her weapon as she took each step, painfully slowly. She used her injured leg as little as possible, using the wall to balance herself, limping her way up the stairs like a wounded animal.

She saw it then, discarded on the step in front of her. Lowering down with a wince, Eva picked up the gun in her left hand. She could still shoot like this; that was all that mattered. She looked up, to where _that man_ was still lying in his own blood. She didn’t know where he’d been shot, but it was enough that he wasn’t back on his feet.

She made her way up slowly, not caring if that girl was following her or not. 

The first shot she took was a few steps down from the landing, right in his knee. She didn’t even miss a beat on the second. She was only a few steps down, now, watching him writhe, her own face stony and blank. Each bullet she fed him had a name on it, someone he'd done wrong by, someone who’d deserved better. 

It felt like agony before she was finally looking down on his hideous face, staring at him as he trembled and bled. She raised her gun, knocking off two more bullets, one in each arm. She almost couldn’t even hear him shouting any more, she just didn’t care.

“Those are for all the people you hurt. Martin. Kenzo. Karina. Heinrich.”

When she aimed her gun this time, it was between his ugly, beady little leering eyes.

“And this is just for me.”

. . . . .

He stopped moving, when she pulled the trigger. It really was just that easy…after all he'd done, his life could just end with a bullet.

But she’d done what she came to do. And that girl…

Eva glanced back to where the girl was standing, a few steps down from her. She’d finally gotten her senses about her, it seemed. And Eva….she knew who it was. The girl...Grimmer had said something about her. About the female assassin, the one that killed those two cops. Suk and Braun…someone close to the "boss"...

She was the key. She was important, somehow.

Eva leaned back against the wall, pointing her gun toward the other woman. Towards Anna.

“You coming quietly,” she breathed, her voice low, “or am I putting a bullet in you, too.”

There was really only one answer she could take right now. But the girl didn't answer, didn't say a word. She just stared like a deer in the headlights. Eva heaved a sigh, flicking her gun in the girl's direction.

"Can't wait on you staring like that. We have a hospital to visit, and some very upset men."

That seemed to snap her out of it, brilliant blue eyes looking to Eva with that tired expression, and something like...fear. Her lips moved, but at first, no words were heard. Not at first, until-

"That's where...he's going."

Eva inclined her head, narrowing her eyes. "Where _who_ is going. Make some sense."

She had a feeling that she knew what it meant. She just didn't want to be right. The girl dropped to her knees, gripping her head.

"He's going to the hospital. My brother....he's going to kill them...he's..."

Eva gritted her teeth, pushing herself back up against the wall, fighting the dizziness that came over her, and the chill that filled her bones.

"Then you and I had better get going. We'll have words later."

_You'd better not let me down, Grimmer._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeowch she went through a LOT this chapter.....but just try and tell me the end wasn't satisfying


	14. Johan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johan reflects on his past, and what will become of the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter was originally like 4k words longer but I decided to cut the last part and make it a whole separate chapter. It's a bit clunky so I apologise, a lot goes on here lmao

Anna wasn't answering. That was unusual for her.

It begs the question if something's gone awry. I wouldn't be surprised, not how our plans have gone. Ever since Tenma's death, it's begun to feel as though our control is slipping. We had the upper hand, but we've failed now to kill the detective and his allies. Merely a setback, of course - there will always be a new plan to take the place of failure. What worries me is Anna.

After all, without Anna...

_It was always for you._

We were born into the world with nothing but our skins and our mother’s love. She gave us everything, what meager scraps she could scavenge from a selfish world that cared little for the unfavoured many. Our mother protected us, but she couldn’t shelter us completely; I saw for myself how a man looks when he dies, when the desperate and starving flock like vultures and take what they can. That could be us, my sister, my mother or I. One day fate could spit in our faces and we’d be the ones bleeding into the dirt.

We were only children, when the devil came to us. We’d seen the world through a dark lens, but _he_ turned it pitch black. An evil so rotten it devoured all light, even our mother’s. She did what she could to keep us safe, guarding the only innocence left in her life until the end. 

That end came early. 

I was too young to know the hows and whys about it; I just remember the man. How our mother _feared_ the man. She never told us, but it was a fear that I could perceive. He had come on _that_ day, one that should never have happened. Mother and Anna in one room, I in the other. I remember there was a knock. Two raps on the door. Then I ran, because mother said so - _hide, and don't come out until it's safe_. She ran too - dragged Anna with her to hide. 

If she’d only been a little faster, things might be different now.

She hit the ground with Anna huddled close - a death grip as literal as could be. In hiding, I could see - he was there, smoking gun and all. From the cold embrace of a mother’s final moments, he stole my dear sister away, leaving me with nothing but a bloody corpse, and only half a soul.

No...that's not entirely true. He took Anna away from me, but I watched it happen. I _let_ it happen. I chose to hide, and Anna paid the price.

_Everything I’ve ever done has been for you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry._

The devil took my family from me. Living as we did, that was all I ever had. He pitched me into the void, into the depths of my own horror. That’s when it started, when the demon was born.

It all started so small, but it grew; where I ached, the monster flourished, feeding on the fear, the loneliness, the rage. Touched by the devil’s evil, my path turned slowly darker with each day. I was lost, grasping, falling. If even one person had reached out to me then, pulled me to the light, my soul yet could have been cleared, but the world we live in is a heartless one. My humanity was dying; apathy around me only drove the nail deeper into my coffin. All that was left was a devil in his infancy. 

He took my world, so I took his. Slowly, piece by piece, in a painstaking game between us both, I stole his empire from his hands and used it to snuff him out, burned alive by the fire he himself had planted.

I killed the devil, and so I _became_ the devil.

Everything that was his belongs to me, now. To me and to Anna. But even so, I feel I’m a failure; as I played my war games, tearing pieces from that snake one at a time, dear Anna stayed veiled beneath his shadow. I had the fortune of freedom; Anna had lived a life plagued by the very man that stole our mother from us. Even now, guilt plagues me; her cries as a child, haunting me - reminding me of the fate I doomed her to. I would do anything to return that time to her.

I made a promise to Anna - to protect her heart and give her all she had lost. My sister and I would never live an uncertain life; I would give her the happiness she deserved. Anna is the only source of light left in my life. Her radiance is the only hope that shines for me. I swore to bring her joy and splendour on the bones of the man who ruined us both.

The fortune _that man_ left us was vast, with ties that reached the depths of this ugly city’s underbelly. We had wealth, and the means to expand it. For Anna, I would go as far as to claim the world. With the wealth of our resources, I took on bold schemes to grow our fortune, to take from the filthy hands of the rich what we could never afford as children. 

It's an irony, I suppose, that such wicked plots drove me to first meet that doctor, the one who saved my life and paid the price. The man who changed my fate, and doomed his own.

Eisler Memorial Hospital held a high reputation among the people of Dusseldorf, and Germany at large. What was not known to the public was the true appearance of its director: a vile man corrupted by his greed and gluttony. We had an arrangement - a partnership far less than legal that would surely ruin his career if it was ever known. We reaped its benefits in silence, but his greed was ravenous; I was younger then, with just the vestiges of naivete still clinging to me. I thought us partners in our crimes; he saw me an easy target. With one bullet, he himself snuffed that last bit of light from me. 

That was the day I was supposed to die. All of what made me human had been torn away, sucked from my very soul. Devils belonged in Hell, and I had been cast to the flames. The world had made its call, but an angel with a heart too big saw fit to rewrite fate.

Tenma brought me back to life. He gave me a second chance, and I took it. I gave those doctors what was coming to them. The director and his men lost their lives the same way they’d tried to end mine. But Tenma…

He gave me a second chance at life, so I gave the same to him. It would have been easy to shoot him down, but he was the reason I could have my revenge. I used him as my pawn instead; damning evidence was planted and his reputation was ruined, but he escaped with his life. He was the one clean man in that hospital, so he was the one who would bear the weight of my sins. He would live, but it wouldn’t be long before he too was beaten down by the grey world he lived in, just as I was. No one stayed innocent, and he would be my proof that even angels could fall.

That’s what I thought. If only I’d known...

Tenma had more resolve than I gave credit for. He shed those burdens in time, declared innocent by the very man meant to send him to hell. Somehow, despite the hardships that he bore, he’d recovered with that same hope and light he’d held in the beginning. Someone like him, who couldn’t be darkened even when he was thrown to the dogs and damned by all...I suppose he was a truly, genuinely, good person. 

He vanished from our lives and that should have been the end - the mysterious beacon of light disappearing into the distant sun, while my dear sister and I peacefully ruled our empire. We had evaded suspicion, she and I; we simply lived then, profiting from the misfortune of those who had sought to wrong us and watching from afar. We had become untouchable.

I suppose it makes sense, in the end; the very same hand that had changed my fate back then would be the one to twist it once more. Tenma and his impossible light returned, shining where it should never touch.

I don’t know how he found me; perhaps in fatal arrogance I saw us safe and allowed myself too many liberties. But there he was, heaven’s angel searching through the devil’s past. He should have known better. The last time, he had brought me back from the brink of death; I owed to him a debt, his life spared as a thanks for mine. But now…

There was no such weight to hold me back, except, perhaps, disdain. I would have preferred it, if he were to have simply vanished, never to enter our lives again. But he found a truth that was never meant to be exposed. It couldn’t be helped; if he were only a tainted man, I could strike a bargain - but this time, that good, honest heart of his was a detriment.

I knew I would have to crush it.

That was the moment, the turning point - declaring Tenma a dead man was when our empire began to crumble. Had I only killed him with the rest...had he not found me, and learned the truth...to kill an angel is a grievous sin. I should have known what would come of it.

I couldn’t bring myself to end him with my own hands. But now I wonder if that would have been the better way. Perhaps this path would have been different, then. Or perhaps, in wishing death upon a blessed man, my fate is an inevitability.

_You’re all I have left._

The afternoon sheds a tranquil light I cannot feel. I find no comfort in this place, nor in any. Not in our home, its pristine perfection, when each step taken echoes and betrays the silence of a home abandoned. The heart of our empire has lost all but me; even my dear sister has disappeared, the only comfort in the world to me. At the end of the hall, I can see her, watching me in the mirror - questioning me. Just when did I lose sight of Anna? With her gone, the seal of my word is broken. I’ve failed again.

It should have been simple; everyone was little more than a piece on a grand board, little more than my playthings. Roberto’s party would put an end to Heinemann’s daughter. Myself and Christof would see to the inspector and _his_ daughter. To preserve the future I built for Anna and for me, I had no choice but to bring about an end - death to those who knew the doctor, who cared enough to avenge him.

It’s such a bitter feeling; Tenma’s murder was what united souls that I myself had left in disarray, now given new purpose. There had never been such love awarded to me, to my sister. We only ever had each other; I couldn’t have imagined this future if I’d tried.

By now it’s been too long. Roberto failed, I know. But that won’t stop me; the detective and his daughter are far more vulnerable, far more exposed. Their deaths should be enough to neutralize Ms. Heinemann. Love may be what’s pushed them this far, but it’s a double edged sword; the death of Lunge and his daughter will mark the death of Eva Heinemann’s heart.

* * *

Eva had known they were running a losing race against the clock the second that girl said her brother was on the move. And with her damn leg out of commission, it was slow going; Anna supported her on the walk to her car, keeping a pace that Eva could manage until they reached the vehicle. She could feel the time slip away painfully, and that was even before they were en-route to the hospital.

"Eisler. And step on it."

Hell...even if they hurried, it didn't matter.

In the bright of broad daylight, Eva could see the rising smoke long before they were anywhere near the hospital. Didn't take a clever woman to know what they were looking at. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes, reaching for the gun she had with her. Just one bullet.

_Heinrich._

Her grip tightened. That wiseguy journalist better have done his job.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it for this one............two more chapters to go unless I need to split the last one >>;
> 
> IDK how I feel bout Johan's inner dialogue...he's being played up to fill a particular type but idk if it's comin across that great XD Alas


	15. Eisler Memorial Hospital

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At long last!!!!! I wound up having to rewrite a lot of scenes and added/removed others so I apologize for taking so long. This one's a bit of a slog, but there's plenty of #drama to occupy.

Rising smoke in the distance marked what could have been yet another brush with death - something like the third or fourth in a two day span, if Grimmer had his numbers right. But this one in particular put a nasty taste in his mouth; smoking out a hospital to burn out one or two targets had no class. If there was any kinda man who’d best him, it wasn’t gonna be anybody as low as that.

He'd been one step ahead of their enemies and got both Lunge and his daughter to a safe place nice and early that morning. The only question now was what to do about Eva.

Grimmer liked to be more of a hopeful type. Cynicism was easy, and there was enough misery around with plenty to spare. But he wasn’t gonna kid himself; Eva left last night knowing she probably wouldn’t be back - even said as much in that lonely sounding letter she'd left him with. The quiet crispness of the afternoon swallowed away what little amount of hope he might have held. She was probably dead now. He just hoped she’d taken a few with her.

That'd give _him_ a little peace of mind, but it wasn’t gonna make it any easier on Lunge. 

Even if they never said a word, Grimmer knew what those two were all about. There’d be nothing stopping that inspector from running down whatever slick piece of shit took Eva down if not for his own fragile body. He wasn’t gonna see any kind of action any time soon, but the minute he could get himself to his feet without collapsing, there was really nothing that was gonna stop him.

Grimmer sure wasn’t. Once Heinrich was back in action, they were _both_ out for blood.

The letter Eva left him with asked Grimmer to take Heinrich and his daughter someplace they’d be safe. Told ‘em to just move on. It was a last wish, or something like it; he should really be respecting it, but letting things go when so much had been lost already...that just wasn’t the kind of end he was ready to accept. And besides, he was still honouring the rest of it. Keep those two safe? That he could do.

Grimmer turned away from the window, drawing the curtains shut. He’d made the right call, getting them out when he did. He couldn’t be sure, but by his eyes, it sure looked like that smoke was coming from the floor Heinrich had been on. But still, that kind of attack...even backwards spies with their silver tongues and a dagger behind their back showed more class.

It had all started with the ol’ doc, but just like the flames burning out the hospital, it had spread into an uncontrolled mess. Eva wanted them to pack up and go, start over again, but that wasn't an option. There was no running away from fate.

For now, Grimmer kept watch while the girl kept an eye on her father. What she really needed was rest after all the poor thing went through, but she wanted nothing more than to be with her old man. That was something he could understand; love was a demanding thing that refused to go unheard. Besides, so long as they were here, they’d be safe; the chance of anybody tracking them down was next to none. At least for a little while.

Truth be told, getting Lunge out of the hospital had been the biggest priority that morning. He'd just had a hunch. Heinrich and his daughter were by far the easiest targets, and their enemy knew it; the longer they waited, the more likely an attack would be. Sure enough, the smoke in the distance told him his instincts were keen as ever. He was just fine with that; hospital chairs were by far the least comfortable plastic monstrosities to offend human civilization. At least here they could rest their asses in relative comfort. 

It had been a bit of an experience, getting Lunge out of there. Sorta like reliving his youth in a few ways. Spies never really lost those skills, he supposed. He was just glad that doctor was willing to cooperate. Even luckier that he was able to find a place to lay low. For now, they were out of the way and off the radar. It gave them time to rest, time to recover. 

Grimmer fished into his pocket, pulling out Eva’s lighter, turning it over in his hands. Still had no idea what he was gonna say to Lunge. That wasn’t gonna go well, no matter how he spun it.

His thoughts were interrupted by the low hum of his phone, buzzing in his pocket. There weren’t a lotta folks who knew his number, so there was only a couple possibilities. With the way things were looking, there was no doubt in Grimmer’s mind; Tenma’s - and now, probably, Eva’s - killer was on the other end. Probably wanted to strike some sort of bargain. That, or rub another murder into already tender wounds. Ignoring it wasn’t an option.

Grimmer flipped his phone open, heading out into the hall. Lunge was far enough away, but he didn’t wanna take any chances. The man was in a bad enough state as it was.

He chose to let the other guy speak first. He didn’t say a word; no greeting, nothing. He just waited, quietly, listening for the voice over the line. He could hear breathing - a bit laboured, heavy. There was a pause, then a deep breath; apparently they realized he wasn’t about to talk without invitation.

_”It’s me.”_

Grimmer’s eyes widened just a bit. Hearing Eva’s voice came as a surprise; no discredit to the woman, but it had been too long with no word since she took off. But even hearing her now...he wasn’t celebrating just yet; her being alive didn’t mean things went her way. Could be a trap. If the damn woman hadn’t taken off in the middle of the night, they might’ve had time to plan ahead - come up with some question or other, some password, to know everything was fine. He didn’t have much to go on. He heard a frustrated sigh on the other end.

_“When I gave you that thing, it wasn’t so you could start a little bonfire.”_

“That” thing…

Grimmer closed his eyes, feeling just that bit of unease fade away. He chuckled, letting himself lean lazily against the wall with a smirk. He opened his eyes and huffed. “If you got the energy to get smart with me, then I guess it means things went well. Good thing, too. I was sure Lunge’d wring my neck for the stunt you pulled. Not really fair, is it?”

She was alive, and probably alone. There’d be no reason for her to mention the lighter otherwise. Hell, maybe he didn’t give her enough credit; could be she planted that thing for just this reason. 

_”I don’t play fair.”_ came a snide, but tired little retort. _”So where are you now?”_

Grimmer started drumming his fingers against his arm. That nagging edge of paranoia was back, questioning his next move. Sure it all sounded fine, but that almost seemed a little too easy; just hours ago they’d been under threat at the hospital, and Eva was off on her little crusade. To have it all finish so cleanly just felt… _wrong._ He couldn’t risk even the smallest possibility that something was amiss; he needed a way to work around it, to confirm for himself that Eva was in the clear and get her to their little hideaway. He pushed away from the wall again, heading back the way he'd come.

”In that case, I’d like to meet you at the cemetery, where Junior Detective Jan Suk was buried.” He switched the phone to his other hand, stretching out the tensed muscles. “Not that I don’t trust you, but I gotta make sure this isn’t a trap. I’d hate to lead those folks right to us after you went to so much trouble to force me into this mess.”

He finished with a lilt in his tone, a little cheek to parry her earlier poke at his expense. He could hear her huff on the other end; couldn’t tell if it was entirely amused, or just tired. 

_“Alright, then. We’ll see you there.”_

“We.”

_”You’ll see.”_

There was a click before he could say anything, could ask what that meant. But with the ease she said it, he had to wonder if it wasn’t a _good_ thing. It was possible the situation was the other way around; that she’d taken a hostage for herself. Someone they could get to talk.

Well, it was just like she said. He’d have to find that out for himself.

* * *

Eva knew she could’ve given something - some sorta hint to who it was she had with her and why, but if Grimmer wanted to see for himself to put that paranoia at ease, then she’d explain it all in person anyway. Let him guess a little for now.

He'd made a bit of an odd choice to meet, though. Eva could just about feel the girl next to her quaking in her shoes. Coming face to face with what she’d done...she wasn’t gonna last long. Not that she could spare much sympathy this time.

Temporary alliance or none, the devil’s twin was a killer. She took advantage of a stupid boy and took his life. Then she crossed the line again when she used his death to get to Braun, one of the few decent men that was left on the force. Eva wanted her to squirm, to feel the reality of what she’d done to those families. 

The drive was rough; Eva was fading in and out of consciousness, jolting awake every few seconds as volts of paranoia jumpstarted her adrenaline. The blonde might not have shot her back then, but that didn’t mean this was a safe place.

She kept an eye out as best she could, glancing out the window, over her shoulder every other minute, right until the car pulled in to park. She knew she’d shot those men dead, but all the same, she could feel their ghosts lingering, the uncomfortable sense that they were being watched. From the driver side Anna was staring ahead of her, but she wasn’t looking at anything in particular; she had her _own_ ghosts to watch for. Probably that boy whose life she stole. The boy they were about to visit. 

Eva pushed her door open, stepping out on her good leg and balancing against the car as she made her way to Anna’s door, pulling it open and waiting for the girl to step out herself. She looked a little green in the face, her lower lip trembling. Eva clapped the girl’s shoulder, snapping her attention with a sudden flinch. 

“Stand up and stop moping. You saved my life, but that’s just the beginning. If this is the path you chose then you gotta face it all. See what you did with your own eyes before you even _think_ of moving on.”

Some might say it was harsh, talking with that kinda venom when the girl chose right over wrong, but as far as Eva was concerned, she needed to hear it; going turncoat on her brother didn’t wash away the rest of what she’d done. Eva had no intention of letting that go, not till she saw the misery she’d brought for herself. 

Eva had been in those shoes. Done things she regretted. Faced it down. It was an ugly place to be, but if Anna was gonna become anything more than her brother’s shadow, this was something she was gonna have to face.

The walk was slow, Anna supporting the injured woman along the way. They passed plenty of headstones - some worn and old, some newer. That detective, Richard Braun, wasn’t among them, but she wished he was. Let that be another stake in the guilty party’s heart. She’d have to face that one later, too.

The gloom in the air only grew thicker as they walked, their pace starting to slow until the girl came completely to a stop. She was doing it again - that distant, faraway look, retreating back inside her mind. Eva let out a heavy sigh, but let it be for now; if she was gonna act like this it was better to get it out now, before they met with Grimmer. Sad, glassy blue eyes turned toward Eva. 

“I was doing what he told me.”

She sounded lost, but Eva wasn’t convinced. As far as she was concerned, where the order came from didn’t matter; Anna herself pulled the trigger in the end. She huffed, turning her gaze away.

“Didn’t do what he told you this time, did you?”

Anna made a small sound in the back of her throat that sounded a little like a _no_. It wasn’t the sort of logic she could argue; she was making excuses and she knew it. Eva kept on the offensive while she could.

“You always have a choice. Everything you do is down to what goes on in your head. Sulk all you want now, but you’re the one who decided your man would die that night. You gotta own that. Now get walking. I won’t ask again.”

The walk was quiet the rest of the way. Eva didn’t mind; she’d said her piece, the rest was for Anna to figure out for herself. They were getting close, though; Eva remembered the way, remembered the afternoon with Heinrich, cold and rainy and miserable. Grimmer came into view soon enough, wearing that same casual suit of his, that same cheeky smirk.

It faded real quick when he noticed the two women making their way toward him, with the sorry state Eva was in. She’d wiped the smirk right off his face and she hadn’t even been trying. Eva took some small amount of pride in that as the man met the two halfway.

“I look that bad?”

She knew how bad she looked, but it was easier to make light of it. Grimmer just scoffed. Even if he was no doctor, he was looking her over with all the scrutinizing attention of one. He shook his head with a huff.

“I’ll say. I’m surprised you’re walking at all.”

There was something chastising through that sarcastic drawl. She didn't much blame him, she knew how reckless she'd been. Eva closed her eyes, nodding her head in the direction of the young woman still supporting her.

“Allow me to introduce you. This is-”

“-Anna Liebert, is that right?”

...Should’ve figured he would know. Eva shut her mouth and gave a subtle nod. She could feel Anna tense, the girl lowering her head so that her hair veiled her face again. Grimmer hummed, a smile pulling at his lips. It didn't feel like his usual smile, though; there was something sharper, a little less friendly.

“I thought so. Suk told me quite a bit about you, back in the day.”

There was no vocalized aggression in those words, but Eva could tell what he was doing easily enough. It was almost a cruel barb, teasing her guilt. This time though, it only seemed fitting. Anna froze up under the words, didn’t raise her eyes to look at him directly. He didn't seem to mind.

“Jan really loved you quite a bit, but...you were leading him along the whole time, weren’t you?”

Anna looked absolutely miserable under Grimmer’s gaze, like all she wanted to do was sink into the earth. Eva gave her a slight nudge, giving the girl a slight jolt. Anna took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, finding some sort of resolve, even though she still looked like she was about to pass out.

“I...was. But I...”

She trailed off, her gaze finally rising from her feet. She didn’t look at Grimmer, though, not right away; her eyes were on the slab of stone in a lonely plot of land, the flowers that adorned it. Her hand twitched, some unconscious thought gnawing at her mind. 

“My...brother and I were separated. Our mother was killed and I was taken. He...saved me. I owe...he said that to protect our happiness, I had to…”

Her hand twitched again, her voice starting to crack. There were tears in her eyes. She slowly shook her head.

“He found something out that he wasn’t supposed to know. So Johan told me...that I had t… _to kill him._ ”

The last words were spoken in anguish, almost disbelieving, coming out in a whisper. Until now, she had used her brother for protection - a shield against her own sins, an excuse for what she had done. She had no choice now but to accept reality - that _she_ held all of the power; that she could have chosen to disobey, as she had now.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to look Grimmer in the eye for the first time.

“What I did...I did...I sh…”

Grimmer raised a hand, that cold expression still on his face as he shook his head. “I want you to hold that thought for now. There’s someone else who needs to hear it more than me, and we’re gonna meet ‘em soon.”

The journalist glanced to Eva, his expression lightening again. “It’s been long enough, and no one’s shown themselves; seems like you two are alone, so I’ll take you to Lunge. Thanks for being patient.”

Christ. Even now he was still vetting them. No doubt he chose a place like this to meet for a reason; it was out of the way, not someplace they’d run into just anybody. If they’d been followed, they’d know. Eva heaved out another exhausted sigh.

“So, just where is it we’re going now?”

Grimmer didn’t say anything for a while, walking the two women along, back the way they came. Finally, though, he turned with just the slightest glint in his eye.

“We’re gonna pay a visit to Mrs. Suk.”

* * *

Hiding with Suk’s family hadn’t even crossed Eva’s mind. It made sense, putting thought to it - Jan Suk was close to Heinrich and Grimmer both; if they needed a place to hide, Suk’s family was a reliable ally they could turn to without drawing much attention. Somewhere quiet where they could lay low for now.

It wasn’t a big house; they were in a fairly average older folks’ community - quaint little one or two-storey houses best suited to homeowners moving on in age. They’d be a little cramped, but Eva didn’t have much intention of staying long. She had a few ideas as to how to put Anna to use.

The one who greeted them at the door was Heinrich’s daughter, who zeroed in on Eva with that same concerned look Grimmer had given her earlier. She didn’t speak, but her thoughts were easy enough to read.

Grimmer held the door open for the two ladies, closing it behind them. His attention turned back to Anna, this time with his usual, gentler approach.

“I’d like you to hold tight for now. I need to get Eva settled. Miss Lunge, would you mind showing her to the guest room for now?”

There was a quiet affirmation from the younger woman that seemed to satisfy Grimmer. He took Eva along, walking down a long, wide corridor. It wasn’t particularly well decorated, with faded wallpaper that looked several decades out of style. There were pictures, though - Mrs. Suk, her husband, and her son at varying points in their lives. Even Eva felt just a little twinge of pain seeing them now.

“I’ll have to see about crutches for you. Best to keep your weight off that leg as much as possible. But right now...”

Grimmer stopped in front of a door, turning the handle and pushing it open, revealing a large living space. There was a large sofa and two comfortable armchairs, the couch quite occupied by what looked to be an unconscious Heinrich Lunge. 

He looked better than he had when she left. Not so pale. A little more alive.

Grimmer helped Eva over to one of the armchairs - the one next to Heinrich - so she could seat herself, before making an exit. The cheeky bastard lingered just long enough to spare a look between Eva and Heinrich with a wink. She chose to ignore him.

Once she was alone, Eva found herself looking over Heinrich. He seemed relaxed. Breathing normally, no shudders of pain. No red staining his shirt. He just lay calmly, as much as someone like him could be calm. Eva could feel her own tension start to fade, eyes slipping closed.

She was just about ready to doze when she heard a rustle, a deeper breath, the faint sound of movement.

“You came back.”

With a little difficulty, Eva opened her eyes once more, looking him over. His eyes were still closed, but he seemed more attentive. Undoubtedly he’d heard her come in. Eva fought the heaviness of her own eyelids, feeling the weight of her own body start to drift, pushing herself backwards into the chair so she didn’t fall.

“I did.”

There was a huff from Heinrich - a tired, irritable, but complacent sound in the back of his throat.

“You should have waited for me.”

His tone was tired, cold, but it wasn’t his voice that Eva paid much mind to; he wasn’t the sort of man who could show his heart so easily, but Eva knew those words came from a place of worry. She’d probably left him to believe he’d never see her again. If she’d failed, then it would have been true. When his eyes finally opened, she could see it there - a hint of something tired, but warm. Eva sat forward in her chair, smirking just a little.

“I told you I don’t take orders from men.”

He didn’t answer verbally, but the atmosphere felt gentler now. Tired, but not so dire. Eva watched as the man’s gaze shifted, his eyes taking in her comically dishevelled appearance. There was still nothing - no outward reaction, not on his face. He reached out slowly, pulling his arm out from under blanketed covers. With surprising gentility, he took her injured hand into his own. She could feel the brush of slender fingers against her wrist, drawing feathered lines on the back of her hand. Whether it was a show of concern or longing, she wasn’t quite sure. To Eva it didn’t matter; it was a warm hand that she trusted.

“I shot him. He’s dead now.”

The brushes halted briefly, dark eyes narrowing.

“But that’s not the end.”

“No.”

They’d gutted the organization of a few of its key players, but until the boss bit the dust, Eva couldn’t call herself done. That was where that woman came in, the turncoat blonde. If her brother was the one behind it, they had a valuable hostage. Someone they could use to get to him.

She reached with her free hand to trace the contours of Heinrich's face, the only gesture of reassurance she could offer. 

“But it’s almost over. It’ll be done soon.”

He nodded against her hand, closing his eyes and tilting his head into the tender touches.

“You should rest now. While you can.”

She couldn’t help but chuckle. Coming from him….still lying there, barely able to move himself...damn hypocrite.

“Shut up.”

She leaned forward, placing a brief, tender kiss to his lips. A little bold, but it was a moment that she needed. Content, Eva let herself fall back into her chair, closing her eyes. It wasn’t comfortable, it wouldn’t be restful, but anything was better than the sheer exhaustion she’d felt until now.

* * *

_“I want you to hold that thought for now. There’s someone else who needs to hear it more than me, and we’re gonna meet ‘em soon.”_

That was what the journalist had said.

Anna had committed terrible crimes. Had murdered a woman’s son. Had murdered a father. Tearing apart families….

And now….she had to speak to the woman she feared to face the most.

Grimmer had told her where to go - down the hall, past the living room, into the study at the very end. He’d left her to go on her own, though she doubted it was a gesture of trust. It _did_ mean he wasn’t there to watch; there was nothing forcing Anna to follow except her own will - this was something that she _had_ to face. The consequences of her actions.

She glanced back to the other end of the hall, so much longer than it had seemed moments ago. With a hand on the door, all she had to do was turn and walk away to avoid it. She refused herself that escape. Anna took a deep breath, turning back towards the door and pushing it open.

It was comfortable inside; there were bookshelves along the walls, and towards the back of the room there was a small coffee table.

Sat at the table was Mrs. Suk.

The old woman looked up as Anna entered, the door pulling closed behind her with the slightest creak. She didn’t say a word, simply stared up at the young woman in the doorway. Anna felt her legs turn to lead, but forced them to move, pushing herself forward, forward until she sat down in the chair opposite to the old woman.

She didn’t know….what to say. How to start. She swallowed thickly.

“I was told you wanted...to see me.”

The woman’s expression went from a neutral thoughtfulness to understanding, then a soft smile. It looked serene, even pleasant. Not at all what Anna was expecting.

“You must be Anna. My Jan’s been telling me all about you. He couldn’t wait to introduce me to you. And aren’t you _lovely!_ ”

Anna’s throat felt dry, nerves starting to rise.

This wasn’t the conversation she expected. She had anticipated words of hate - deservedly so, the angered words of a mother. But this…

The woman looked around quietly, turning her head slowly in both directions before turning a curious look back towards Anna, smiling a crinkly smile.

“Tell me, how is my Jan….?”

Anna…

Anna didn’t know what to say.

Jan’s mother…

“That boy...don’t tell me he made you come alone...?”

Anna...wanted to be sick. It felt, just then, like a piece of herself was sucked away into an empty void that left her hollow. She’d prepared herself for despair, for scorn and rage. She was ready not to be forgiven, to accept that facing the woman was only a small step in the right direction - that to be truly free of the dark shadow she had cast, penance would come in more than simple apologies. She had accepted that she’d be hated, however heartfelt her words might be.

She wasn’t prepared for _this_.

It was as though the clocks had been wound backward in the old woman's mind; Jan’s mother no longer remembered her - as though they’d never met, not once. With that warm and inviting face, the woman seemed to be reliving a time that had passed them by long ago - back when Jan was even more a foolish boy than he was years later. In her mind, her son was still alive.

Anna felt her lips go dry under the woman’s warm gaze. She was expecting a response, and the prolonged silence seemed to worry her. There was something more concerned in her eyes now. A concern that wasn’t deserved.

“Is everything all right, dear?”

Anna realized her lip was trembling. Faced with this woman….with this situation…

She swallowed, aware of how dry her her throat was now. Everything felt clammy and sick.

“Mrs. Suk….your son…”

Her own words choked her, an invisible hand gripping her throat. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. _She_ shouldn’t be crying...she had no business wallowing in guilt, when what she really should be doing…

“It’s...my fault. Because of me...he….your son...”

Anna choked again. That time, the tears really did start to fall.

She couldn’t do this. She wasn’t ready after all. Not for _this._

Jan’s mother reached out with a gentle hand, placing it on Anna’s as she looked her over with that undeserved kindness.

“Did you and my son get into a fight?”

Anna’s heart skipped a beat. She stared somewhere far away, into the void that stretched beyond her vision. She felt sick to her stomach, even as words wove their way through her mind and tumbled from her lips, the toxic little lies they were.

“I don’t think….he’ll be coming home for a while. Because of me.”

She hated that she’d succumbed, hated every word that came out of her mouth. But….

She couldn’t kill Jan a second time. 

She couldn’t make his mother endure it all over again. This was wrong….she knew that she was lying, that this was _wrong…_ but breaking that woman’s heart all over again...that was pure evil. This was a lie….her own burden to bear. Just another sin on her shoulders that she’d have to face.

The elderly woman looked her over with that gentle kindness and concern, brushing Anna’s hand with her own, causing the girl to pull back, her stomach squirming uncomfortably. Mrs. Suk frowned, but didn’t ask, instead sitting back into her chair.

“What’s happened between you is your business...but I don’t think it’s quite so bad. He’s a stubborn boy, but a good boy. If you make it up to him, I’m sure he’ll come around.”

Anna...couldn’t stop herself from crying that time. Her eyes welled up, the dam breaking, whatever calm facade she might have held onto shattered.

_Make it up to him…_

She could only dream of that. But now...if she ever wanted to lift that painful, heavy weight, Anna knew….

She clenched her hands into fists, taking a deep breath and looking up, catching Mrs. Suk’s eyes, far more severe than she intended.

“I will. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Stopping Johan wouldn’t take back what she’d done. The lives she took...that had been her choice. Going along with her brother...she could have put an end to it long ago. It wouldn’t be enough to save her soul...she was Hell-bound, she knew that. But if possible...she might take the demon that started it all down with her.

There would be no more victims. The devil would sleep, once and for all.

* * *

There was no telling how long Eva had been out. Even when she woke, she could feel that same burn in the back of her leg, the tense pain in her wrist. There was absolutely nothing comfortable about sleeping upright in a chair like that; she felt stiff, and her body objected to movement. She wasn’t alone, though; she could smell the faintest traces of ash, just a little too tempting now that she was awake. As one eye opened slowly, she could see him - that journalist, seated in the other chair, head bowed. By the way his head was nodding against his chest, he probably hadn’t slept a wink. 

Eva sat up slowly, catching his attention, though he didn’t move from his spot. She reached out with her good hand, beckoning toward him.

“Lighter.”

He seemed to think for a moment, shoving a hand into his pocket and pulling out the little trinket. He didn’t toss it her way, though; he just held it, idly turning it in his hand, before shoving it right back where it was with a slick little grin.

“No can do. Not after the trouble you caused. I’ll be holding onto this for a little while.”

Eva didn’t have the strength to argue, so instead she just leaned back over the armchair, one arm dangling over the edge. She craned her neck back and let out a long sigh. Smokes wouldn’t do her any good like this, with the headache she could feel coming on. 

“Water, then. Think I can be trusted with that?”

There was a chuckle, and she could hear movement, but didn’t bother to look up. She heard the door open, Grimmer’s footsteps becoming somewhat distant until he came back around the corner, closing the door behind him. Eva tilted her head, raising her hand to take the glass. He let it go slowly, making sure she had a good grip on it before he went back to his seat, face illuminated under the moon.

Eva put the glass to her lips, only now realizing how damn parched she was. It probably wasn’t healthy to gulp it all down in one go, but that’s just what she did, a few trickles of water sliding down her face. She let her arm flop to her side again, satisfied for now.

"You keeping watch or what?"

Grimmer sat back with a slow breath. "Not quite. The girls are sleeping in the guest room. It was this, the closet or the floor."

Eva smirked. Not much choice, then. She closed her eyes, tilting her head to the side.

“So just how is it you got everyone here, then?”

There was a pause, Grimmer trying to get comfortable.

“I’ll leave that for you to figure out yourself. What matters is I got us out.”

He chanced a glance her way, rolling his shoulders and stretching a little.

“It’s about time we make a move, don’t you think?”

Eva felt a jolt of energy. Just a little, in anticipation for what was to come. “And you got a plan, do you?”

Grimmer shrugged a shoulder. “A few ideas. But I got a feeling you have a couple yourself.”

Eva smirked, pushing herself upright. She had a pretty clear vision of how this was going to play out. Something not so different from what those bastards pulled on Heinrich. A little taste of their own medicine. She reached out, not quite ready to put any weight on her shit leg just yet.

“Let's get talking.”

* * *

Johan had expected the call to come. He had long assumed the worst; their empire had crumbled, little more than dust, with him alone in a wasteland. He answered, knowing the words he would hear before they were spoken.

_“Anna is with us.”_

He said nothing, staring through the window into the night. The woman continued.

“You’ll meet me at Eisler Memorial Hospital tomorrow night. Where it all began.”

Before he could give a word of answer, the woman had hung up.

Everything until now...pitching himself into darkness, dirtying his hands...it had all been for Anna and him, for a future that they could enjoy, the life they never had.

They had Anna.

If they had Anna, that future was shattered, his promise broken.

So this was what it felt like, then. Having a loved one used against him. It was an effective method after all. He stared at his own reflection, smiling, the ghostly spectre smiling back, translucent against the window.

“So it ends at Eisler…”

A fitting place. Where his path had been changed, where fate was twisted. But fate was a dangerous creature, one who turned fortune on its head as swiftly as it was bestowed. He closed his eyes, chuckling to himself.

“Who will you favour this time, I wonder.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God we're FINALLY on the last stretch! I just hope I can make the end decent.


	16. The Final Chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cannot believe I finally got to the end of this thing. It’s so long. Ty for sticking with me despite delays and whatnot, it was a fun story to write! I only hope the end does it justice.

The decision of Eva Heinemann to make her final stand at Eisler was an act made in error. There was nothing advantageous, nothing that she gained from it. Instead, it was a statement - something that Johan already knew, but she had set in stone with her declaration. The memories of that place...for her, and for him...it all centered around one man. If Tenma’s was the hand that brought Johan back to life, he should have known better than to kill him. Stealing the life of his own saviour...karma had come to collect its dues. He was left with nothing; there was no one but himself left to face that woman.

The world he had created for himself and Anna had crumbled; his was the touch of Midas, turning all he touched to gold, yet blinded by his own ambition. Without Anna, their perfect world was hollow and meaningless, little more than dust and ash. Stripped of his key resources, his followers in shambles, the only face that he could trust was the one that reflected back on every glassy surface, a face belonging to two. And with Anna taken by that woman... 

Johan carried only a pistol as he made his way toward the place of his rebirth, solemn in the chill air. Years ago, he was left to die by a Heinemann; this time, with no guardian angel, he imagined that it was here he would finally be lain to rest.

It would be as it should. A fitting end.

A gentle breeze caressed him as he came toward the looming shape of the hospital. He still remembered clearly what his room had looked like; the tranquil whites and blues, the view from the window, the doctor who had so fussed over his recovery. Johan peered up to the window, expecting to see those dark eyes looking down at him with a disapproving frown. No such spectres haunted him, but he almost wished there had been something; even ghosts would not haunt him, pushing Johan into a true isolation.

As he neared the doors, he could see her; worn and tired, as tired as himself, leaning on her wooden crutch and holding her gun loosely in her other hand. Anna was beside her, and the sight brought an immediate sense of relief to Johan; his dear sister was unharmed. To mild surprise, it seemed only to be the two of them. The detective remained in recovery, then. No doubt he was under protection, not that it was necessary. Johan had no great legions of men under his control to seek him out. Though if it was her alone, then fate could yet be on his side. He looked to Ms. Heinemann, his eyes glassy, an unreadable smiling facade.

“Shall this be a civil engagement, or a test of the swiftest reflexes?”

His smarmy murmur was met with nothing; silence was not an answer, but that she hadn’t raised her weapon spoke enough to Johan, at least for now. He tilted his head to look up at the towering structure that all but surrounded them now, shrouded them in shadow both real and imagined.

“It ends where it all began.” he remarked, his tone amicable, airy with a sense of wonderment. “To go so far...you must have loved him dearly.”

The woman simply glared, with only pain in her eyes. Pain, and a cold, deadly rage. Even at this distance, he could feel the tumultuous ferocity of her heart. Words were not necessary, but she raised her head to speak all the same, looking down the sharp angle of her nose to leer at him.

“Tenma was a friend, and a good man." He watched her hand tense, then release once more as she maintained her composure for the time being. "Now I can finally have you answer for what you did to him. What you did to _all_ of them.”

She bore down on him with those fiery eyes, a look that burned directly to the soul. Were he a lesser man, perhaps he would find himself shaken and afraid. Instead, he stood coolly and watched as her emotions seeped through, her hand starting to tremble from the force of wild anger barely held at bay.

“You took away every man I ever loved. Kenzo, Martin, my father. The lives you’ve ruined. The families you destroyed. You have _no right_ to stand there, looking at me like that.”

All three of those men were indeed those killed on Johan’s orders. An unnecessary loose end, an accidental discovery. But her father… _that_ man...

Johan lowered his gaze and chuckled, a gentle sound kept politely quiet. He held his gun gently within his hands and, raising his eyes once more, took a few slow steps forward.

“Yes, I did kill your father. Just like this.”

He raised his gun, but Eva took the shot first - a warning, just past his shoulder. Johan halted and allowed his arms to lower again; he hadn’t intended to shoot, it was a play of fear - one that seemed to have worked. With an airy sigh, Johan turned his face away. It gave her ample opportunity to shoot, if she so chose. She didn’t.

“Do you know how I first came to Eisler, miss Heinemann? Who put that bullet in my head?”

There was no answer, but Johan could feel the build of the atmosphere - tense and uncomfortable. Something daringly curious, but wary; there was a truth she didn’t want to hear, but Johan gave her no choice.

“Your father and I had an arrangement. You could call it a _business_ deal, if it’s more palatable, but I’m sure you know what I mean. You’re a clever woman. We were partners, for a while. You may recall a drastic spike in Eisler Memorial Hospital’s profits and public appeal. We had a good working relationship, or so I thought. But your father was greedy. He thought that if he could get rid of me, he might take the whole pile for himself. And he would have succeeded, if it weren’t for our good doctor.”

Blue eyes rose and his head turned, capturing Eva’s in his own steely stare. He sought the cracks in her armour, whispering his damning little words into her heart. A sympathetic smile crossed his lips.

“I hate to be the bearer of such ugly news, but every word is true. Your father was an evil man. And you yourself have no lighter a soul, do you? Those men that you killed were no less human than yourself. How does your conscience feel, to bear such a load? All that keeps you afloat is the drive for vengeance. Once you have what you want, you will be as evil as he was.” 

The truth was a wicked creature who had mercy for no one, but Eva was a unique breed herself. There was a heaviness that had settled in the atmosphere, an angry dread, but there was also _acceptance._ Perhaps she had already come to the same conclusion. Something that she already knew.

“This isn’t about my father. You came for another reason, didn’t you?”

She deflected the conversation away, back onto Anna. As much as Johan might have enjoyed to spit on the memory of that woman’s father just a little more, she was the one who held the chips in this conversation, at least for now. Though the question now was what she had come for; if she wanted to kill him, she would have done so already. There was something else, then; perhaps some small attempt to retain humanity, a wish to have him hand himself in to the authorities? For Anna to go free, he would be asked to relinquish his freedom…

She continued to leer at him with that powerful gaze, her own expression as cold as his now.

“Doesn’t it strike you as odd that I survived an encounter with your brute and his men?” 

Ms Heinemann’s voice was gentle, spoken slowly. This was a line of dialogue he hadn't quite expected, so he allowed her to speak, absorbing every detail. Eva scoffed. “I should be flattered by your assumption of my capability, but I’m no detective or spy. I shouldn’t have been able to succeed on my own. There were too many of them for me to face alone. You know what that means, don't you?”

The tides had turned; she was twisting Johan’s own game against him- posing questions shrouded in mystery, revealing some undesired truth. The dread had turned inward, onto him this time. His gaze flicked to Anna. He had come to rescue his dear sister from her captors, but now….

Even without affirmation, he knew. He knew...

Johan smiled softly to himself, closing his eyes. He felt his shoulders relax, his body feeling abruptly lighter. 

“Have you betrayed me, Anna?”

His voice was soothing, gentle. It buried the feeling of loneliness that crept up from within, the toxic sensation as he realized that perhaps, in finding Anna now, he was even more alone than before. The only question was how long ago he had truly lost her. When was it that she had slipped out of his grasp?

Johan had truly gone blind in his visions of grandeur. 

Anna looked down, taking a deep breath before she tried to catch his gaze, though he, for now, refused her. To look her in the eye was to see his own face reflected. To lose trust in even his own reflection was too terrible a thought.

“You told me...that this was all for me. And I followed you, I did what you said, because you said we’d be happy. Johan...we _were_ happy, but it was hurting other people...and then….the killings….and asking me to….”

Her hands had started shaking, her eyes glistening as she stared beyond her brother into some distance that only she could perceive.

“This isn’t what I wanted. I never wanted this.”

Johan’s eyes widened, and for once, he looked up to meet her.

“Not what you wanted….”

His murmur had an edge to it, devoid of feeling though it was. He had made to mock Eva Heinemann for her own hypocrisy, when he himself was buried in it. He promised his sister her happiness, had vowed to give her - to give them both - everything they never had. But as he looked at Anna, he found himself transported to that worst of nights, watching as his sister was taken from him. Such terrible pain and fear in those eyes…an echo of the terror back then, reflected to him now...

What he had become in her eyes was no brother, but something monstrous. Something that made her afraid.

Is that what he was, even to her?

A morbid curiosity crawled its way into Johan’s mind, intrusive and dark, though he indulged it nonetheless.

He looked her right in the eye, raising his gun once more. But this time, instead of pointing it toward Eva, or even - unthinkably - toward his dear sister, he raised it to the side of his own head, unblinking, unflinching.

“Is _this_ what you want?”

The silence that followed was sickly and heavy with dread. A silence that he, that _all,_ could drown in, swallowed into the shadows that engulfed his mind.

The end had come at last.

* * *

Pain.....and a terrible, familiar stench.

The first thing that Heinrich woke to was the scent of smoke. He was alert, if not wholly awake, but with that vague, foul scent alone, he knew just who had come for him. He didn’t bother to open his eyes, aware of the heavy feeling as his eyelids begged him to rest just a little longer.

“You shouldn’t be smoking in a place like this.”

There was a feminine hum, and then the sound of gentle footsteps. He could hear them; a bit uneven, one a little heavier, the second softer and quicker, less load bearing on a tender leg. Eva shouldn’t have been walking at all, but telling her so would amount to nothing. Abruptly it became much brighter in the room, light filtering even past his closed eyelids. It was probably early afternoon, the sun at its peak.

“The windows are open. That should be fine.”

Lunge sat up slowly, aware of the taut pain as his abdomen urged him not to move so quickly. Slowly, he opened his eyes, then just as quickly shut them with a grunt; it was indeed bright, and blindingly so. He gave himself a few moments to recover before opening his eyes again - more carefully this time, peering just through his lashes at first, allowing time for his eyes to adjust.

“Then I’ll speak to your good health. Smoking is doing you no favours.”

That time he heard a chuckle. As he turned toward the windows, he saw her; she seemed well enough, certainly no _worse_ than she had been when she left. She was watching him, cigarette held loosely between her fingers, smoke trailing out through the open window.

“I’d rather enjoy a short, pleasurable life than live long in good health, if it means sacrificing the things I enjoy.”

Her lips curved up in a smirk and her eyes made an altogether unsubtle pass over his person. Heinrich scoffed, but said nothing. Not at first, his mind elsewhere.

The fact that she was here, now, could mean only one thing. But that alone rose further questions. Just what was it, that had happened? And Johan....had she...

“He’s not dead, if that’s what you want to know.”

He should have known. The sultry play, the idle flirtation...those were just a front. There was more on her mind, matters of recent events. There was a degree of annoyance that he hadn’t been able to join her, to see their case through to the end. But, he was the one who let himself get shot. These were the consequences he had to live with. Lunge sat a little straighter, wincing at the pull against his muscles that remained raw and painful.

“Tell me what happened.”

* * *

_”Is this what you want?”_

As of this moment, Eva had become a spectator. What began as her own feud had become a confrontation between the twins; the brother, who had fallen further and further into his own depravity, and the sister, coming to the slow acknowledgement of the evil they both had become. But the casual nonchalance of the brother as he asked that loaded question…

In the beginning, Eva had set out with murderous intent; the detective would be her hunting dog, sniffing out Kenzo’s killer, her _father’s_ killer, but she had every intention of putting a bullet through his head. Let the detective chase her; using men to reach her ends was nothing new. Accepting a contract from her of all people...he should know how it would end.

She could do it, now. She still had five bullets; all she needed was one. But the gun in her hand felt weighted, her hand unable to move. There was a sense of presence in the air, and if she looked hard enough into the void, recalled those bitterly painful memories, she could see him; standing over her shoulder, clutching her hand, shaking his head with those gentle, sad eyes.

What would he think, if he was watching her now? Killing to avenge him… _him,_ of all people...he could never bear that. If she pulled the trigger now...

When the time came, his would be the hand to cast her out of Heaven.

Eva watched the miserable scene as it unfolded in front of her, despair echoed on the faces of the twins. His was a lonely face, one that recognized how truly isolated he had become. Hers was lost, pleading; reaching for a brother who was no longer himself. Anna’s face fell, hair masking her as her entire body bowed in on itself, weighted by some unseen force. She shook her head repeatedly, clenching and unclenching her fists.

“I was going to do it.” she wheezed, and Eva had to strain to hear it. “I was going to kill you. I’m the reason that you did all this...that you became like this. So I thought that if I…if _I_ was the one...and I went with you...”

Her hand twitched and she looked up slowly, her cheeks tear-streaked and her hair sticking to her face.

“...But I can’t do it. Even now...you’re still my brother. So please don’t….” 

Her eyes became wilder, bright with desperation. “Please don’t do it. You can’t kill yourself. It doesn't have to be this way.”

The heavy tension in the atmosphere was unrelenting. Johan seemed unaffected, nonplussed; emotional though his sister’s words were, it was as though they had passed right through him.

“Do you know why I came here, Anna?”

She said nothing, as though afraid to speak. Afraid that her words would be twisted by her brother, turned ugly. All she could do was shake her head. Johan looked from her to Eva, his eyes somehow piercing and hollow at once.

“I made a mistake. I killed a man who wasn’t meant to die. Because of that, everything I’ve done for us is falling apart.”

He lowered both hands to his sides, his expression shifting, becoming more pained.

“I failed you again. After I made my promise to you, I failed. I've become your monster, haven't I? And now, the world has cast its judgement on me.”

Baby blues turned down toward the gun in his hand, a smile flitting across his lips, though it seemed tired and emotionless.

“There’s only one way this ends. I knew that. So, do you know…?”

Anna’s hands started to tremble. She shook her head, her mouth falling open, though she said nothing. The both of them looked so strangely childlike as they were, more their age than Eva had seen them until now.

“I’m only surprised it’s gone on this long. If the detective had died, you would have shot me without hesitation, wouldn’t you? What is it that’s stopping you?”

Eva narrowed her eyes, gripping her gun more tightly, that unseen presence still holding her back. She looked from Anna to Johan, aware of the desperation that had fallen. 

“Why do you want to die?”

The few clouds in the sky shifted, revealing the bright of the sun as it made its slow rise, highlighting the features of all three to sharp detail. Johan positively glowed in the unusual bright of late morning, hardly the picture of a devil at all.

“You were the one who made that decision, weren’t you? When you chose this place….here, to have our final stand. You came here to kill me.”

He looked her in the eye, and Eva found herself unsettled by the warmth she found there; his eyes had an understanding look about them, not so cold as they had been before.

“I wondered how it is you’ve managed to survive this long. With all of the resources I had, killing you should have been simple. But you’ve managed this far, and stripped me of everything. Even my dear sister stands in your shadow. My sole reason for continuing on this path no longer exists. I’ve reached the end.” He looked away, over Eva’s shoulder, smiling knowingly. For a moment, she had to look too; there was nothing, as before, but that feeling…

“It’s about time that I face the punishment I’m due.”

Eva took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

If that was what he was saying, what he thought, then there was no way that what _he_ saw...and what she felt...were the same. His phantom was imagined, something he fabricated for his own agenda. A lie.

Eva stepped forward, the crutch that supported her sliding down the wall as she pushed forward without it. She ignored the pain, walked right up to stand beside Anna. Without a word, she dropped the gun at her feet, eyes not leaving Johan. He still had his own, but even with a bum leg she was quick enough that she could grab that wiry wrist of his before he made a move.

“If you think that’s what Kenzo wants, then you got the wrong man.”

He was watching her, waiting. Eva didn’t miss a beat.

“You’re right I wanna see you dead. But I don’t always get what I want. Even if he’s gone, I can hear him pleading with me not to shoot you. I wish I could ignore him, but I can’t. Even now, he's still too damn good for the world.”

Eva used her good leg to kick forward, watching the gun skitter off to the side. Just like that, she could feel the pressure around her release, like that invisible hand had disappeared. In the end, she knew it was all her own imagination; he was gone, after all. Ghosts had no control over her. It had brought her comfort all the same.

“This ain’t about conscience or doing the right thing. I’ve killed before and you’re right that I’d shoot you if I had it my way. But I know Kenzo. I know he’d never forgive me if I did it this way. Instead, we're gonna do this the way _he'd_ want.”

Eva glanced between the twins. The both of them looked laughably lost. This wasn’t the end that anyone expected; not her, not the brother, not the sister. Only Eva seemed to have her wits about her, but she was used to this; she’d been screwed over by fate enough times to brush it off and keep going.

“I’ll take you down to the station and you’re gonna come clean about what you did. You’ll be tried, and you’ll serve your time in the pen. You’ll have lots to reflect on there, plenty of time to repent. And _that’s_ the punishment you’ll face in his name.”

Johan’s response was to laugh, though it lacked confidence. It lacked force.

“And you expect that I’ll resign myself to your terms?”

“It’s an offer I’d take, if I were you.”

The relaxed, easy voice took everyone by surprise, and Eva found herself ready to take up arms, only to relax when she recognized the tall figure stepping into the light. The bastard was a little too good at that; one day it was gonna get him killed.

Eva had a quip on her tongue, but chose not to say anything; he was supposed to be keeping an eye on Heinrich, but if he’d made a judgement call and figured he was better put to use here, then so be it. The point of moving Heinrich had been that they were out of the way and hidden somewhere; it was probably safe to leave the man in the care of his daughter.

And right now, that meant their numbers were three to one. Grimmer didn’t seem to be armed, but by the way his hand rested at his side, it was clear enough that could change in a split second. He looked Johan over, situating himself behind the young man.

“I guess you could try to run if you wanted, but between us I really wouldn’t recommend it. You got a nice, peaceful offer here; just go with the lady and everybody walks away happy. Or at least alive.” He paused, then snapped his fingers. "Right, and you should probably drop that. Won't do you much good right now."

It almost seemed comical, how easily it was coming together. In Eva’s mind, there’d be some sort of dramatic confrontation, with at least one bullet fired from either party. But as she watched, Johan seemed to resign himself, at least so far as to drop his own weapon. He looked up, looked between his would be captors.

“So you won. That’s what you think.”

There was no threat in his words, only idle curiosity. Johan smiled to himself, looking away.

“I kept crime organized, you know. Without me, the masses will return to chaos. Your world is about to become a much more dangerous place.”

“And Detective Lunge will be right there to catch them all.”

Eva’s confidence cowed what meager threat Johan had been attempting to incite, leaving him only to scoff and chuckle. Finally, he closed his eyes, raising his hands and turning to stare her in the eye. There was nothing this time - not that lost look, nor the sharpness, nor resignation; there was simply nothing, a blank and empty face not so unlike a doll’s.

“Then I suppose I have no choice but to go with you.”

…

The police station was a mess, worse than when they had left it. Seemed like the media was making a fuss, though that was no surprise since their internal corruption had been all but blown open with the death of Zeman. Eva and Grimmer escorted the twins peacefully and were met with the current acting chief. Though Anna had turned a new leaf, she was as guilty as her brother for the murders she committed; both had to face the law for what they had done.

“Unfortunately with the way things are, we can’t keep them here.”

The chief seemed slightly disturbed, though it was understandable; the county was under intense investigation now, and the place looked like a zoo. None of them had seen the papers, but Eva could make some wild guesses just how badly the police had been hit. The man thumbed over his shoulder, toward a few other officers who were leading what looked to be a number of inmates toward a truck.

“We’ll take him one county over, with Milch and the rest. Not much we can do about that. And...." He hesitated, looking over the two. "If you receive anything about former Detective Heinrich Lunge, let me know. We need to question him about his time serving with Zeman and the rest of the force, but no one can locate him.”

Neither Eva nor Grimmer had any intention of revealing his location as of yet, so kept their mouths shut until they said their goodbyes and left.

It really was behind them, now. All of this…

“Glad you held yourself back. I’d been worried you might really do it.”

Eva paused, thinking for a moment. For Grimmer to say that....had he been watching all that time?

“You really didn’t trust me to restrain myself, did you.”

Grimmer shrugged, offering a sympathetic, wry smile.

“Hard for me to trust the woman who left me out to dry, ain’t it?”

He was never gonna live that one down...but it was a fair point. Where Grimmer was concerned, trusting Eva was probably out the window for a while. He offered a warmer sort of smile as they walked.

“You showed me wrong though, so I guess I really didn’t need to be here after all.”

Eva nodded, turning to watch the police van drive away. To think that all they’d endured had come down to such an anticlimactic end…

“Now might be a good time to get out of the city, before armageddon strikes.”

Grimmer's tone had become a bit more serious, a bit morbid. He was unreadable, calm and complacent, but with just the slightest foreboding hint about him.

“I don’t think he was kidding about what he said. The criminal underground has been pretty quiet while there was order, but we just upturned their hierarchy. It’ll be a mess when they all start picking at each other for power. It’ll be a rough transition.”

His expression lightened and he chuckled.

“But I got a feeling that detective Lunge won’t be going anywhere. Just like you said. And that means you’ll be sticking around too, am I right?”

Eva looked away with a chuckle of her own. He didn’t have to be a perceptive bastard to pick up on that one; she’d thrown her lot in with that detective now and there was no taking it back.

“If I leave him alone now, he’ll work himself to death. Needs me there to keep his head on.”

Grimmer hummed, fishing into his pocket for something and tossing it to Eva. She caught it instinctively, blinking down at it in surprise. If he was giving that back, then...

“Well, you two need anything, you know how to find me.” He gave a wily little grin and a wink. “I have a habit of showing up when you least expect it.”

Eva curled her fingers around her lighter, looking back up to Grimmer with a nod.

"Just don't pull that trick of yours again. I'll really kick you next time."

* * *

As Eva finished her retelling, she watched Heinrich. Watched his face. It was hard to read; he seemed glad, at least, that it was over. But he was fading into his memories, looking back at all they had endured. For such a mediocre confrontation to come of it all…

It wasn’t the end that they wanted.

But then, to hope that fate would go their way was foolish in the first place.

At last, Heinrich heaved a sigh.

“That’s all of it, then.” he muttered, turning dark, exhausted eyes toward the window. “And Grimmer is…?”

Eva closed her eyes, following the direction of Lunge’s eyes, out toward the flawless blue of the sky. She reached into her purse, turning that stupid little lighter in her hand. Funny how something so meaningless could become such a personal token.

“Off to see his family.” she murmured, gaze turning down towards the long and winding roads, almost expecting to see him. “But he made it clear we ain't seen the last of him.” 

Heinrich nodded, making a contented sound. He didn’t seem bothered that the man had gone without a proper farewell, and Eva didn’t much mind it either; he had his wife, his son. He’d left them waiting long enough, chasing old friends down a deadly rabbit hole. He’d been an unexpected part of their wild escapade, but if it hadn’t been for him, Eva had no doubt that they would never have come this far.

This far...

It was nearly impossible to imagine all that had come from one simple murder. How easy it would have been to change the course of their futures had she acted differently. To Eva it was almost laughable; had Heinrich refused her that night, had he simply not been _awake_ when she came for her unexpected visit, the lives of his family, his companions, everyone that was dear to them would never have been thrown into such upheaval. Had it have gone differently, Jan Suk might still be alive. Richard Braun might still be alive.

But they had chosen their path. Or, more accurately, _she_ had; it was just like the wily woman to lead her men astray. 

To avenge the past, she had thrown in everything; looking back, she should have known the end that awaited them. It was natural to grieve, to endure hardship. Life was a delicate thing, fragile and easily ended. She had the option to heal; to suffer the pain and move forward, as she had always done. But instead, she chose a road paved in blood; revenge made monsters of men and darkened their hearts. In choosing a vengeful path, Eva should have known her own consequences. The fact that she was still alive, even now, was a genuine shock. 

_She_ was alive. _Heinrich_ was alive. They had both survived their sins, though they would always carry them. Tender wounds scarred their minds, their bodies, but now they could finally lay the past to rest.

Eva moved from the window slowly, aware of a sudden presence behind her. As she turned, it was to see Heinrich, standing now, barely a foot away from her. She very nearly stumbled, but caught herself against the window sill with a soft curse under her breath, the tension in her posture dissipating slowly as she levelled him with a glare. 

“You’re lucky I didn’t kick you.” she muttered, narrowing her eyes. “It’s rude to sneak up behind a woman. And I don’t think you’re supposed to be up and about, are you?”

Heinrich reached forward, brushing hair away from her face.

“I’m not dying, and lying about is driving me mad. I’ll do as I please.”

Despite herself, Eva had to laugh. That sort of talk….that was nothing she would ever have imagined hearing from Heinrich. Not before.

There was a quiet moment between them. Neither spoke, but Eva took comfort in it; silent awareness of one another was plenty company. Heinrich took a slow step back from the window, the light shifting against him as he turned toward her.

“What happens now?”

Eva lifted her cigarette to her lips again, taking one last drag before she finally put it out. That was a difficult question, too heavy for her to answer now. They had futures ahead of them, filled with unknowns. Eva drew the blinds shut once more, turning back toward Heinrich, her back to the window.

“I guess we’ll have to find out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AW YEAAAAAA DONE BABY
> 
> This took me so unnecessarily long to finish but it’s done. There were more plot threads I could have touched on but tbh if I did that it'd just be way too huge. I hope that the end was a good one! I wanted to try to keep the heart of Monster intact as much as possible despite the huge atmosphere shift. I feel like it could have been more #dramatic but alas can't have it all 
> 
> And that’s that on that, as they say


End file.
